Drarry One Shots

In Between the Drama and Trouble

A/N I thought that perhaps I ought to tell this part of the story. Especially as Timothy's and Tabitha's tale needs to be told 😊. It's set in the middle of 'I'm done with all the drama and trouble' (previous one-shot). I debated on whether to publish this first but decided against it.

Warning: contains swearing and some angst, plus some overwhelming cuteness in the form of two little monkeys and maybe from the Drarry fluff too.

***

Harry loosened his formal bow tie and the top button of his dress shirt as he leant against the railings at the stern of the huge cruise ship. He stood watching the foaming wake dissolve into the inky black of the rolling sea for a long time without moving. Even though it was late into the night, he could tell the clouds were still heavy above. At least the rain had stopped and the swell had dropped substantially. Once, briefly, there had been a break, the clouds appeared to glow with silver halos and the waxing moon had shone brightly over the rough sea before it was quickly hidden again.

He wondered why this had ever been a good idea. He didn't like travelling by ship. He didn't like the feeling of being in a tin can in the middle of the huge Atlantic Ocean so far from land. He wasn't frightened by much these days but this was probably at the top of the list. He had been assured by the captain over dinner that they had, at least, passed through the worst as Hurricane Fabian blew to the south of their transatlantic route leaving the ship roiling in the outskirts of the storm. At least he could come up on deck again but there was another six days of this and he didn't like it. He felt trapped and overwhelmed and weak against such a force of nature. It unsettled him, considering he always had a route out of everything and was normally so in control of everything around him.

Downside of being an Auror, he supposed. Always looking for escape routes and considering his own safety.

He sighed. Portkeys hadn't been an option. It was too far to make the journey from New York back to London, even via the Azures. It would have meant a more long-winded route taking a multitude of stops via Canada, Greenland, Iceland, and the Faroe Islands. And as Grímsvötn was rumbling again, both MACUSA and the British Ministry for Magic were somewhat reticent about sending the famous Harry Potter anywhere near Iceland and any potential volcanic eruptions.

Besides, Harry had Timothy and Tabitha to think of. He wasn't going to have them sedated and crated and then quarantined so they could fly back to London and neither were up for travel via Portkey, it would be severely dangerous for both tamarins, especially Tabitha who was still so very small. Really, he could have done with Newt's suitcase but the old wizard was very resistant to even considering lending it out, despite Harry's connection to his grandson Rolf and Luna. Additionally, both little monkeys were still severely traumatised after Harry had rescued them and clung to him like he was their new mum and hadn't let go since. Even Newt thought it would be unwise to separate the tamarins from Harry since they'd adopted him, though he was immensely taken with them himself. And the animal handlers at MACUSA also thought it unlikely the tamarins could ever be released back into the wild because they'd clearly been born in captivity and been handled by too many humans and that was before the experiments. Whether he liked it or not, Harry was now in possession of two new family members for the next thirty to forty years, all being well. Luckily, he liked it and didn't want to be separated any more than they did.

And then there was this last, final job for MACUSA. The actual reason he was taking the ship back to England. It had certainly seemed the obvious option when he was secure on dry land and hidden in the safety of the Woolworth Building in New York. It made it easier to approach his target because Miss Crowborough and her young ward moved in such exclusive circles. He pursed his lips in seriousness and worry, believing the pieces to be set in place now. He'd studied Miss Lucy Ferrara for long enough and laid enough breadcrumbs to know that she wouldn't be able to resist being intrigued by him. For all her naivety, she was a curious young thing. He'd chatted to her and her governess politely throughout the meal, attentive in every aspect, which was hard considering the silver service the ship provided. He was cautious about his natural clumsiness but the focus of his work always aided him in such matters. He refused any drink beyond a singular glass of champagne. He asked genial questions of those sitting around him and beyond saying he worked for the government and lived in London, he gave little away about himself while appearing quite open. Then, he'd made sure that everyone at the table knew he was heading out onto the stern deck to catch some fresh air after their Gala dinner. He'd said he wasn't used to such an extravagant and rich meal, especially as his stomach felt a little unsettled after the previous twenty-four hours. He had seen Lucy smile in sympathy. He hoped the bait was laid properly and she'd take it.