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-START-
"Let's recap a tad…" said a young man from London judging by his dialect. "This is definitely not Jolly Ole England…" he even exaggerated his accent. "Judging by the hotdog stands, I'm probably on the other side of the Pacific Ocean… And I'm a mouse…"
Indeed, for despite talking like a human being, the youth was actually a common house rodent with black fur and a messy mane. Standing on his hind legs, he felt oddly comfy after having patted himself to find a tail attached to the base of his spine. Quite the panic ensued, but he calmed down after some serious screaming and dignified running around. Yes, he definitely had kept his cool after noticing he had the head and ears of an animal. He squinted vibrant green eyes to try to see just what else he could make out of his whereabouts and his new body, only noticing he could use a coat and that he possessed a more humanoid appearance than the usual walking cat snack.
Perhaps it was the panic and/or acceptance, but he felt needed to make a few jokes about his current predicament to stay sane. A part of him wished he could just magically get his glasses back… It then struck him, that he had actual magic in his hand… The joy was short lived upon recalling that he hadn't graduated nor been too good at breaking curses. He took a long look at the wand in his hand – more like a splinter given his size – and had to ask himself a few questions upon realizing that he wasn't the only thing shrunken down. Given his circumstances and the nature of the world he was a part of, he decided best and vital to look for answers to the big questions first and details later.
Feeling rather hungry, he looked around just in case anyone could see him. Children giggled in the distance as he made his way to the nearest trash can. He was still unsure about how much he'd have to change his comprehension of the English language since Americans took a look at a lift and called it an elevator. There was also the entire debacle with chips, crisps, and fries to refer to different kinds of fried potatoes. In all honesty, he envied the Australians for sticking to just the word chip. Speaking of…
"Please, don't let a language barrier be a thing," he aimed his wand at the paper tray atop the garbage. "Accio chip!" Much to his dismay, the fried good which Americans called a French fry remained where it was… "Accio fry?" To his surprise, the still warm as well as thankfully clean fried potato stick flew to him, and it was still coated in a nice layer of melted cheddar that made his mouth water, "Okay, I'll need to think like an American… I will also need some glasses…"
Chewing his food, he filled up without wanting to ask how he could talk as a mouse. In fact, there were many questions rushing his head after some of the cheese and potato started to calm his hunger. How did he get where he was? Did something happen? What had he gone through for the change to take place? Was cheese always so tasty?
"Calm… remain calm…" he told himself after finishing his meal, licking his furless rodent fingers. The youth knew he had lost no dignity in his heroic loss of composure… "I… don't need to panic again…" Patting his stomach, he looked at his still humanoid but animalistic hands, "Hermoine, I could really use your help… Um, no, if she's not here… Okay, I am not an animagus, I definitely didn't pass the test, so… why am I a mouse? And why do I feel that I need to wear at least a jacket?"
Ruffling his mane, he tried to ignore the million nagging problems and attempted to focus on one. Anything that could help him, a clue or…
"Eek, a rat!" he heard a woman loudly screaming before he turned.
Even with his horrible eyesight, he managed to see his face reflected on the perfectly polished shoe which displayed his horror and regrets.
The last thing he knew was that he was flying so high that he believed he could touch the sky, until remembering that he was a mouse, and the landing would hurt a lot.
"Ugh… if only I had…" he groaned, trying to think of anything as he reached a tree. Leaves wouldn't work as a cushion, nor its landing post's flagpole… "Wait, what?!"
Yelping as he noticed the structure getting closer and closer, the young mouse flailed his arms in search for anything that could slow his descent… That was when he spotted an old, red balloon under what appeared to be a bottle cut in half with tiny chairs and… wings? It was too much for him to think rationally, but it would have to do. Waving his wand with a spell that had helped more than he ever imagined, he pointed for the Accio spell to call for the floating rubbery cushion to fly to him…
He felt immense relief upon sinking onto the red, stretchy surface of the blimp-like item. It was immediately washed away by the elasticity forcing him back with a loud boing sound. As he yelped and flailed yet again to try to find if he was one rare if not unique breed of mouse that could glide since summoning a broom would be too much in his situation, the owners of the tree had already gotten into action. Screaming like a little child helped for a change of pace, it seemed.
"Hold on, mate!" said a man with a thick Australian accent. "Zipper, grab the other side!"
Buzzing reached his ears as the black mouse found himself landing on a net, not realizing he was hyperventilating until four rodents and a fly approached him…
"What…" he asked, patting his chest to steady his madly beating heart. "How… Ouch!"
Kicks from a relatively gigantic women would break bones, so he was lucky that his body ached all over before he hit the net, "Easy there!" said what sounded like a girl, "And, um… Golly, we best get him some clothes and bandages…"
"Got the latter," said a very high-pitched voice, like someone had inhaled an entire canister of helium. "Boys, you go get him some spares."
"Aw, but I am great at bandaging," complained a dopey-sounding if still high-pitched voice. Buzzing and a somehow even higher-pitched voice too unintelligible to understand replied, causing the previous voice to relent, "Fine, fine, Monty, you got anything his size?"
"Eh, I dunno, Dale," the Australian remarked. "Lad's a bit on the scrawny side compared to good old Monterey Jack. Hm, maybe some of my old baby clothes are around…"
"That would be swell," said the girl before turning to him, and he could only make out that she had blonde hair. "Oh, sorry, we forgot our manners. My name is Gadget, and the boys who stopped your fall are Chip, Dale, Monterey Jack, and Dale."
Squinting his eyes, the black mouse nodded, "I am… Harry…" he winced from the pain of the kick, "Potter…"
"Potter?" asked the first high-pitched voice. "And with that accent you're not from around here, right? How did you come from the United Kingdom all the way here?"
For a second or two, he had to process that they didn't recognize the name and that, thus, they had no idea about magic. Best to keep that as much a secret as he could.
"England, London actually, and… I wish I knew…" Harry grimaced and squinted to make out the shape of a hat on top of a brown blur. "Also, sorry if it's rude to ask, but I could use some glasses."
"Sure, what style do you prefer them?" the girl asked.
"Circular," Harry replied and shrugged… which caused him to grunt. "Ugh, I am going to hate myself for that one…"
Before he knew it, Harry was patched up and given a white turtleneck which he put on under a red jacket. It made him feel nostalgic about flying on the fields chasing a tiny gold ball already, but he shook his head off those thoughts. For the time being, he didn't know who or what his saviors were. All he got was names, but he had a hard time making out a face to attach them to, which could be both because of his lack of eyeglasses and the kick that would have killed him had he not summoned the balloon to stop his fall.
"So, mate," the Australian, Monterey, began. "You seem from the south of old London with that accent of yours. Plenty of cozy houses. Although, if you don't mind me bluntly stating my mind, you Brits don't have as good a cheese as the French."
Uncle Vernon's house was anything but… well, to his relatives, it was. Living on what his cousin once used as a storage closet beat the tiny space under the stairs. Alas, he had been asked a question, and he had to be polite… if secretive.
"Oh, I lived with my aunt keeping an eye over me," he omitted some details about forced child labor. "Besides that, I attended school, got the basic education, and… I wouldn't even know where to begin explaining how or why I got here."
"Now that's a mystery!" the dopey-sounding voice, Dale, jovially declared. "Any amnesia? Flashbacks telling of a thrilling final battle?!"
"Shut it," Harry heard the other high-pitched voice with the hat, Chip, snap at Dale with a bonking sound. That noise definitely came from a fist meeting a mostly empty skull, "Can you not do tact?"
"Hey, we gotta ask the tough questions!" Dale snapped, reminding him a lot of Ron when it was time to discuss ideas with Hermione.
"You've been watching too much TV," Chip declared.
"And you've been reading too much Sherlock Jones again!" Dale shot back accusingly.
The cacophony of punches being traded made him think of the two as versions of a certain pair of redheads, only more prone to arguing than the twins, and their little brother.
"Done!" he heard Gadget proudly state as she walked to him. "First time doing glasses, but I think I got the prescription just right. How are they?"
Putting them on, Harry blinked in shock… and then leapt back, "You… you talk?!" he asked in utter disbelief as he saw that he had been talking to two mice, two chipmunks, and a fly. "Argh…" and he lamented his reaction when his ribs ached sharply, "Okay, okay… I should… be used to… weirder…"
"Boy must have gotten really rattled during his fall," said Monterey Jack.
Definitely the largest, and somehow reminding him of Hagrid with a thick mustache instead of a bushy beard, he was a brown mouse. Possessing a wide body with fat and muscle, he donned a beige raincoat over a blue turtleneck sweater, an aviator cap with goggles, and a rather friendly smile. His orange mustache and green eyes told Harry that he was as trustworthy as a certain half-giant.
Buzzing made him turn to Zipper… a green, anthropomorphic fly with an expressive, humanoid face that had big yellow eyes, a black button nose, and no hair on his body. He wore a red turtleneck shirt– so Harry knew what to get Monterey Jack for Christmas besides cheese – and nothing else. In fact, the black mouse noticed that he and the other male rodents were bottomless.
"Come on, Monty, he didn't ask to get sent flying like a football," Gadget said, and Harry had a hard time not looking at her.
Cute was the best word to describe Gadget, a mouse with cream-colored fur, a pink nose and blue eyes. Her long, voluminous hair framed her in a manner to make her look even more adorable, but he noted she wasn't a girly girl. The blue bell mechanic jumpsuit, light purple belt, and cerulean goggles on her forehead like a headband told him how much she loved tinkering. She reminded him of Hermione with the spark of a deep intellect in those eyes, and also that she didn't wear make-up, preferring her own natural beauty.
"Need any aspirins?" asked Chip.
An almost normal chipmunk, he had quite the sharp eyes that spoke of determination so deep it could blur into obsession like a certain Quidditch captain. Harry begged inwardly that it would not be the case. Still, he would give Chip some points for the stylish fedora and unzipped bomber jacket that made him look like an adventurer from a movie.
"Or how about some snacks and soda, we've got plenty," stated Dale.
Harry almost did a double-take on how similar and different he was from Chip. Undeniably a pair of twins, but Dale was different in that he had two buckteeth separated at the corners of his mouth and a red nose. Harry felt childishly tempted to poke it and see if it would honk like a clown's but resisted the urge. And like his brother, the other chipmunk had some style, albeit more carefree since he donned an unzipped red Hawaiian shirt.
"I need to lie down and… ask what I am doing with my life…" Harry replied while rubbing his head. "Can you all… actually understand me? Or did I get kicked too hard?"
Dale smirked and walked to Harry, pinching his cheek, hard, "Ow!" The yelp of pain was simultaneous from both the red-nosed chipmunk and the black mouse wizard, who instinctively poked Dale in the nose with his wand, "Hey, don't poke an eye out!"
Noticing he had his wand still clutched in his hand, Harry pocketed it, "At least warn me or…" he froze and rubbed his sore arm, "Wait, this is not a dream! I am talking to actual rodents… and I'm a mouse!"
"Uh, maybe he could use more professional help," Gadget told the others.
"Wait, hold on, I-" Harry waved his hands to stop them, but he couldn't even come up with a proper reason for why he should stay.
Monterey placed a helpful hand on his shoulder, "Calm down, lad. Now, breathe in and out with me. I learnt this at a temple in Indonesia from a tiger family. Follow old Monty…"
With no other choice, Harry began to calm down with Monterey's help, letting his worries sort themselves as he grasped his current situation with tougher nerves. He was a mouse, found talking rodents, and he was pretty sure by the stolen television screen and assorted items made into furniture or rodent-sized tech that they had a society. Part of him tried to recall any part of magical history and encyclopedias involving such creatures… And then, he had to remember that he would have been told about it by Hermione during any of their studying sessions, mostly when she tried to get Ron to focus on important facts.
So… where even was he?
"Ah, may as well have a laugh at myself," Harry groaned and looked at the area. Sofas were made of pincushions with the pins serving as the back, somehow a television had been put on a large living room, wristwatches on the walls, and more items one would find in any trash bin made the home of the rodents, "Stupid as it sounds, I wasn't a mouse before-"
"Right, that sounds very stupid," Dale agreed, immediately getting bonked on the head by his twin. "Ow, what'd I do?!"
"Let him finish, dummy," Chip growled – or growled as much as one could with his squeaky voice – before explaining. "Harry, you do need to rest. We can let you explain later when your head is a lot clearer."
"Pinching me…" Harry began, then glared at Dale, "…while annoying…" he softened as he continued, "…actually helped. I… am or was a human right before this happened."
"Uh, Monterey Jack's the name, but that doesn't mean I was a finely aged piece of dairy by the time I got out of the womb," the Australian mouse kindly tried to ease Harry on the simple possibility of him being crazy.
"Okay, I may as well break some rules and explain later given this situation…" Harry took out his wand and sighed. "Pain that it'll be later if they find me…" Taking a pause to just think on what he said, he sighed, "Actually, they would get here just to give me lip…"
Dale turned to Chip, whispering, "Alright, he does his dance, and then a straitjacket."
His twin nodded, but Harry couldn't blame them, "Wingardium Leviosa."
Everyone stopped talking when Chip's hat levitated before landing on a flabbergasted Dale's head. They all had different levels of astonishment at the display of real magic. No wizard or witch to come bother him yet, though, so he had far more questions. Gadget's mind seemed to make an audible implosion as she gaped in disbelief. Monterey's slacked jaw hung comically loosely, swaying after it fell. Zipper himself dropped on the Australian rodent's head in wide-eyed confusion rather than all around shock. Out of everyone, the twins had the most cartoonish reaction by looking at him, then at each other, and back at Harry with increasingly wide eyes each take… before Chip took his hat back.
"Alright, so… was that… string?" Gadget tried to rationalize what she saw, "Magnets?"
"Believe it or not, I am a wizard," Harry said, then groaned. "And I had hoped you'd have magic here to not give some bureaucrats a field day with this case." The image of a toad of a woman grinning widely came to mind, "Sorry about any future mess."
"Boy, oh boy, do you do any other tricks?!" Dale asked in awe.
Figures that they wouldn't believe in magic at first, he had found stupid ways to justify some of his early demonstrations before Hagrid met him, "Alright, something better…" pointing his wand upwards, he called out, "Incendio!"
A small sputter of fire awed the rodents… and Harry handed Gadget his wand for her to see it wasn't rigged with anything. The blonde mouse looked positively enamored with the fascinating discovery before her, immediately taking the magic splinter to check on her workbench… She also remembered the wizard and ran to grab him by the collar and drag the guest to examine him. Justifiably stunned by such reaction with the other rodents fully unable to provide anything but mere speculation, the former human waited.
"Golly… gee… willickers…" first time he heard someone react like that, he had to snicker.
Getting a pouty glare, he waved apologetically, "Sorry, I was reminded of a friend who also got deep into her studies, though she was a lot sterner."
"Keep your fancy cards in your sleeves, buster," Gadget argued. "Perhaps a set of tubes in your sleeves…" she checked them, causing Harry to feel himself blush under his new coat of fur, "…or… or… or maybe a device to light it and-"
"Love, remember he landed here with that stick and nothing else," Monterey Jack told her as he looked at the black mouse in disbelief. "I'm… afraid to say that the scientific method isn't just going to cut it…"
"You tell me, where I come from, mice and chipmunks don't talk, and flies… look a lot less cute, no offense," he added the last part quickly once Zipper crossed his arms, but the fly still turned his nose. "Also, they don't… make houses like this…"
"Blame me for that," Gadget stated. "I have such a mind-smashingly high IQ that I get bored easily and inventing- Hey, wait a sec!" she pointed at Harry with a finger, "You do not get to talk until we discover how you do that magic trick, mister."
"Um, Gadget, he is a wizard," Dale stated, causing the blonde mouse to pout further.
"One that's done magic tricks we've all seen and heard before," Chip argued with a hand on his fuzzy chin, trying to think of what to ask for Harry to prove himself.
Noticing a broken pocket watch on the workbench, Harry had in mind further proof, "Alright, how about the mending spell… Reparo."
Springs that were broken snapped back together as if brand new while gears and bolts flew into place, locking and screwing themselves to where they were supposed to go. At the exact moment the glass case latched itself over the hands and a rhythmic ticking demonstrated that it was back to working condition, no doubts seemed to remain.
"Do you… do airplanes?" Gadget asked in fascination.
"I can try…" Harry stated, shrugging… and winced. "Ow, that still smarts."
Once outside, the wizard blinked in disbelief at what the blonde mouse called an airship. It was half a bottle with the wings of a toy plane, mechanical legs with suction cups for feet, a bottle cap protecting the engine from the outside, and the red balloon which slowed his fall secured in place with elastic bands. He could see where his landing affected it most.
"Just to say I'm not holding you responsible or anything, but I was working on maintaining the Ranger Plane before it suddenly moved," Gadget said meekly. "The leg joints and wings are now bent, the suspension bands for the balloon are frayed, and I think some parts inside its engine came loose, so it'd take me a longer time to fix it than doing its routine tune-up. About three point seventeen times longer."
"Can it, um, really fly?" Harry asked, then blinked. "Wait, Ranger Plane?"
"Yup, the best way for us Rescue Rangers to move around!" Chip declared proudly. "Made by Gadget herself from spare parts of her father's ship."
"Rescue Rangers being…" Harry began, trying to get an understanding of how the rodents functioned in… whatever society the tiny animals had.
"Like the title says, we solve mysteries and help anyone in need like your typical hero from TV," Dale replied with a big smile. "We also goof off a lot."
"Well, if you could get me to London, that'd be as much mystery solving as I'd need," Harry said and faced the plane. "Um, I just hope this works since the whole Frankenstein plane with spare parts is a first."
"Geegaw's Screaming Eagle has never flown better than when Gadget rebuilt it, mate, so have a little fate," Monterey declared protectively.
Understanding that Geegaw must have been Gadget's father, Harry nodded apologetically to the blonde mouse before facing her airplane. Joints sprang back into place. Bands snapped as they regained their previous tension. Clinking was heard inside the plastic. In a few seconds, the Mending Spell truly lived up to its name. Frankly, the real joy was to see how jovial the tiny inventor was… and then being hugged by her.
"Oh Golly, this is amazing!" she said while lifting Harry with surprising ease. "Thank you, thank you, thank you! With this, I could cut so much of my time on new experiments, rebuilding engines from scratch and even-"
"Love, you've gotta let the lad breathe!" Monterey declared as he noticed that Harry had grown a tad red on the face, though it wasn't for the lack of oxygen.
Once his feet touched the ground, Harry also felt as if four holes were burning into the back of his skull. He had felt similar instances before, but it wasn't giving him a painful warning of any kind. In fact, once he turned, he saw Chip and Dale smiling and waving. Scratching the back of his skull at the suddenness of the change, the wizard tried not to think too much of it. The two chipmunks were very intent on helping him get home, after all. Both brothers even raced to the Ranger Plane to aid the black mouse move.
"Well, only one thing left to do!" Chip declared. "Next stop, London! We leave Harry and have some fun after a fast job done well!"
"And we get to see Freddie Mercury's legacy while we're at it," Dale stated.
Zipper nodded as he flew in with a Beatles poster and wearing circular shades.
"Perhaps a tour is what we need for a little vacation and fun!" Gadget beamed.
"First stop, Wensleydale," Monterey declared while rubbing his hands.
"If I can get back to being a human, I'll do my best to give you a tour," Harry added with a soft grin and chuckle, amused by the rangers' joy.
"That'd be swell, Harry," Gadget beamed… and once again Harry felt as if four holes were burning into his skull from where the twins sat.
Given how – and Harry was being polite – broad-bodied Monterey was, the Australian mouse sat at the back with Dale. Zipper was so tiny he could fit anywhere, but he sat with his larger friend. Chip, Harry, and Gadget sat at the front with the wizard trying not to think back on his second time flying in a modified vehicle. Knowing his luck, they could land with another Walloping Willow, perhaps a den of regular but still large spiders, or perhaps be lucky enough to crash onto a Wensleydale factory.
Every image flashed in front of his eyes when the Ranger Plane got up and ran forward on the branch before leaping off. Harry clutched his seatbelt and swallowed down a scream when the plan plummeted down with the wings flapping like a bird's. Somehow, despite how harebrained the idea of a plane built on random trash was, the airship gained enough momentum with its flapping to move upwards and forward. If he wasn't a wizard, he would have called shenanigans on the physics behind such contraption…
"Nervous?" Chip asked, seated between Harry and Gadget.
"Yeah…" Harry gulped. "I tend to have a better flying experience when I am on a broom."
"So you're a witch, too?" Dale asked in confusion.
"That, uh, just know that a witch is a girl and a wizard a boy," Harry tried to sum up as best as he could. "If that makes any sense."
"Basic gender distinction like queen and king," Gadget stated for herself.
"So, this magic world of yours, mate," Monterey began. "What's it like? Can you not make or use any broom to fly on your own?"
"I wish," he'd have flown out of his guardians' home if it had been the case as a kid.
"Dragons, magical beasts, and fairies?" Dale asked.
"Real," Harry felt that the talking rodents were not going to tell anyone since they were not known among non-magic humans. Not to mention, anyone who claimed to talk to a talking pair of mice, twin chipmunks, and a sentient fly would have a tight new self-hugging jacket, "And there are too many to count…"
"Well, it's a long journey, and we wouldn't mind listening," Gadget smiled innocently.
How could one refuse?
The Rangers had to hitch a ride on a human airplane to get to London, sneaking into the cargo bay to pass undetected and grab some leftovers. During their trip, Harry tried to explain his world as best as he could, but kept several things to himself. No reason for a stranger to just expose how he was a Chosen One, famous for taking out an evil wizard feared by all, and the big adventures. Instead, he focused on some of the brighter sides of the wizarding world such as the classes, the friends, the sports…
"Quidditch sounds like you crammed too many British sports onto broom-riding, mate," Monterey was blunt, to say the least.
They all sat on a large briefcase with seats Gadget made out of spare trash, eating some peanuts in the twins' case, canned cheese which Monterey kept for himself, and half a cheeseless turkey sandwich.
"Let us play the beaters!" Dale beamed, grabbing a fry which came with the half sandwich to swing like a bat. "And watch me knock those Bludgers onto the other team!"
"Yeah, if it doesn't hit you first," Chip said.
"It would so not!" Dale argued.
"Would!" Chip shot back, shoving his twin.
"Would not!" Dale shoved his twin back as they kept their argument going back and forth, amusing the mice and fly who had returned with jellybeans.
"Actually, I'd like to know more about how Hogwarts works as an academy," Gadget said.
"Both you and me," Harry chortled. "Even the people who have practically lived there for their whole lives barely know a handful of its many secrets."
Monterey then snickered, "Frankly, I'm more amazed your lake's got a giant squid, I'd have thought some of the Japanese and Scottish sailors that I have been with did a good job at getting rid of some of those buggers."
"Lucky us, the one at the lake is friendly… or just doesn't care about anyone who may swim in its waters," Harry commented, then rubbed his chin. "I've heard it's been alive for either over a century or several, so ours may be magical in nature…"
"Perhaps best that Fat Cat doesn't know of it," Monterey quipped.
"Fat…" Harry began with an incredulous look on his face. Shaking his head, he sighed, "I'm almost afraid to ask, but he's a talking cat, right?"
"One of the worst kingpins, too," Gadget added. "He was the pet of an infamous human thief and helped his master in his crimes. Unfortunately, once that man got arrested, Fat Cat already had his own empire and was emboldened to expand it."
"Not like he's had any luck with us around!" Dale boasted while he and Chip were putting each other in a headlock.
"Not like we'd give him a chance to," Chip added, equally proud of their job in foiling an evil crime lord's plans.
"Darn straight," Monterey beamed. "Heh, if not for that overgrown furball, we would not have met nor formed the Rescue Rangers."
Kind of how a certain evil wizard was to blame for creating his own archnemesis, Harry thought to himself, "I think I am jinxing us saying that I wish for this trip to be uneventful." The black mouse had a long track record of getting involved in the craziest of schemes, and he prayed that he'd get some rest, "Anyway, how did that adventure go?"
Everyone beamed as they began recounting the tale of adventure to rescue an elderly policeman unjustly imprisoned. From the twins' attempts to clear his name from the frameup by Fat Cat, retrieving a ruby with several failures, and even foiling a far too ridiculous yet somehow functional scheme involving gelatine. If Harry thought that his time facing a dragon, an underwater trial, and a maze of death was crazy, somehow the Rescue Rangers put his adventures to shame in the absurdity department.
And yet, he couldn't help but smile like a child.
Once the plane landed, it was a joy for the rodents to get out and see the clear skies. It had been a rather uneventful ride in the cargo bay, but they'd managed to land in one piece, much to Harry's relief. The air was crisp as the Ranger Plane flew over the outskirts of London. Everyone in the tiny crew was eager to hop out of such a closed space, and Harry did his best to shake off the residual motion sickness from their unorthodox flight.
"We've made it to London!" Dale cheered, throwing his arms wide, a bit too enthusiastically as he accidentally hit his twin.
"Careful with that!" the other chipmunk snapped and bonked his brother on the head.
"Uh, wow, this is… quite a lot to take in," Harry said while looking at the city below the plane. "Are you sure you guys are fine helping me? This isn't an easy trip already, and I can fend for myself."
"Don't ever doubt that the Rescue Rangers will do their best to see a mission through, Harry," Chip reminded him with a friendly smile, his eyes scanning the skyline. "We've still got a lot of ground to cover to find Privet Drive. Preferably, before the sun sets."
Harry, still adjusting to the reality of talking animals and magical mishaps taking him on what was perhaps his less life-threatening adventure, let out a soft sigh. After having explained enough of his world to the Rangers, it was all still too overwhelming to process in the flight that a society of talking animals existed. Still, he had finally taken the first step to return to some amount of normalcy. Much as he may not like the idea, he needed to find his aunt and uncle's house, or at least a place where he could figure out what on earth was going on. The Dursleys weren't who he wanted to meet, it was their neighbor and best way to contact anyone, but the rangers didn't need to know too much.
"I don't know, Chip," Harry muttered, looking around the city. "It's hard to even remember where to begin. I've lived in Little Whinging all my life, but everything feels different now."
"Yeah," Monterey said, scratching his head. "Isn't this place all the same to you? London's like a maze of streets."
"Not really," Harry shook his head. "I can't even remember how to get back to Privet Drive from here. It's all a blur."
"And you said your house was on the suburbs, or something like that?" Dale asked, tilting his head, his big eyes sparkling with curiosity. "We'll just fly over all of London, right?"
"Dummy, this is a big city!" and Chip bonked his brother on the head yet again.
Harry hesitated, trying to find the right words, "I don't know… but this London doesn't feel right. It's like we're in a whole different version of my world. Maybe it's just me being paranoid, but…"
"Doesn't hurt to check out a few streets, right?" Chip suggested, trying to lift the mood. "Maybe we'll get lucky."
"Hey, I just said that!" his twin argued and the two began shouting so fast that it was… like two chipmunks arguing, Harry thought in mild-amusement.
With everyone in agreement, the group set off, Harry leading them through the bustling streets of London. He tried to remember the path he would take to get back to Privet Drive, but no matter which direction they turned, nothing felt familiar. As they passed row after row of houses, the wizard grew increasingly frustrated. The more he looked around, the more it felt like he had no idea where he was. There were streets with similar names, but none of them matched his memory of Little Whinging. None of the houses looked quite the same either. The street signs were different.
"Right, that's it!" Harry said, throwing his hands up in exasperation. "I don't know what's going on, but we're never going to find Privet Drive this way."
"Not without a map or a better idea," Dale said with a grin, though he was equally baffled. "I mean, who even names a street 'Privet Drive,' anyway?"
Chip shot a sideways glance at Dale but decided not to comment.
"Maybe it's been renamed," Gadget suggested, looking thoughtfully at a passing street sign. "That could explain it. Some places get new names when they're developed, right?"
Harry stopped in his tracks. It was a possibility, he supposed. After all, it had been years since he left the Dursleys' house, and in that time, a lot of things could have changed.
"That's... weird, but I wouldn't be surprised since weirder happens around me," Harry said, his voice tinged with uncertainty. "But I still don't know where to look. We might be searching for something that doesn't even exist here anymore."
"You know," Chip began, scratching his chin, "we could try to find Privet Drive right now. But we've been running all over the place, and it might be a good idea to take a break first. How about a little sightseeing?"
Dale bounced up, clearly excited, "Yeah! We're in London! We've got to see the sights! What if we could see Big Ben, the London Eye, maybe even get a picture with a double-decker bus?"
Harry blinked in confusion, but he couldn't deny the appeal. "Well, I guess a break wouldn't hurt," he said, feeling the weight of the consequences of arriving at that place. "Besides, I don't think my aunt would be too thrilled to find rodents in her kitchen…"
Gadget, who had been intently listening, "We'll get to that, and we've dealt with worse than your typical housewife. You know, sometimes a little bit of adventure helps clear the mind. And if we're really going to find this street, maybe a bit of London culture will help us get a better perspective."
"Besides, you look like you need the cheering up, lad," Monterey added as Zipper clapped, putting on his circular shades to show what he wanted to see most.
Harry nodded slowly, unsure but equally thankful and intrigued. If he could be honest, he didn't have much experience with exploring big cities, and London, while familiar in name, was a strange and fascinating place. The idea of seeing the sights before continuing their mission seemed like a good distraction. And sightseeing without his relatives being… well, the Dursleys, would have been a dream of his before learning that he was a wizard. Plus, after meeting the rangers even if for what felt like such a short time, he would be lying if he said that having a fun tourist trip with them was something he wished to miss.
"Alright, and thank you once again, everyone," Harry said with a sincere grin. "We'll take a tour of London first, but I don't want to waste too much time."
"Trust me," Gadget said with a wink, getting Harry to chuckle awkwardly and the twins to frown and pout. "We'll be back on track in no time."
Focusing on having a jolly good time, the group set off, making their way through the crowded streets of London. Harry couldn't help but be amazed by everything around him. The towering buildings, the sea of people, the odd mix of old and new, it was all so different from what he remembered from his once seemingly normal life with the less magical humans. Perhaps the best part was to feel like he had friends to see it with, a dream he often had with Ron and Hermione involved them having fun like regular teens.
Of course, that wasn't going to happen soon, but he would make notes of what places to visit with them should he have the chance. Naturally, their first stop was the Big Ben. The clock tower loomed above them, its bell ringing out across the city. Dale and Chip were practically jumping with excitement, making goofy poses next to the famous landmark as the Ranger Plane flew around it.
"London's got all sorts of cool things, huh?" Dale exclaimed, his eyes wide. "And they've got giant clocks!"
"Giant clocks and buses!" Chip added with a grin, pointing to a nearby double-decker bus that was driving past. "What do you think, Harry? Fancy a ride?"
Harry chuckled, "I've never been on a double-decker before." Realization hit him, "And I could use the experience after being on a magical triple-decker."
"We'll fix that!" Gadget said, diving toward the bus until landing on its roof to get a tour of the city with the rodents loving the view.
Everyone enjoyed the landmarks and smells on their way around the city, taking in sights like the Tower of London, the London Eye, and Buckingham Palace. Anywhere they went, they encountered fine architecture, monuments, and memorable landmarks, and for Harry it was just as magical to him as the Wizarding World. He even joined the Rangers on Abby Road Crossing, which Zipper finally got out of his bucket list by having everyone walk in front of a camera made by Gadget to reenact the Beatles' famous album cover.
"Golly, this place is amazing!" Gadget said, eyes sparkling with curiosity. "So much to see, so much to learn…"
"This is the best sightseeing trip ever!" Dale declared as he waved at a passing street performer juggling fire.
"I think we're on the same page," Chip agreed, surveying the city with a content smile. "But let's not forget why we're here. We still need to find Privet Drive."
After the tour of London, they found themselves seated in a cozy little café, sipping hot drinks and discarded snacks from the trash and chatting about the city's wonders.
"So, back to the mission," Chip said, bringing them back to the task at hand. "Where do we start looking?"
"Easy, we need to get ourselves some information, mate," Monterey said, adjusting his cheese-stained jacket and pointing down the road. "And I think I know just where we can find it."
Harry looked at him. "Where?"
"The library, of course!" the Australian mouse grinned. "You don't think the biggest city in the world doesn't have all sorts of information, do ya? Plus, I've been to plenty to get ideas of all the good tourist spots."
"Let me guess, cheese factories," Harry quipped.
The Australian mouse blinked in disbelief which grew into panic, "How'd you know, lad? Can you read minds? Do all wizards and witches read minds?!"
"Uh, no…" Harry half-lied, badly. "So… a trip to the library, right?"
"I think that's a great idea," Gadget agreed. "A library could have records, maps, anything really. We might find some old directory, or a street name change in there. Plus, I always wanted to check out the industrialist history of England and the United Kingdom."
"Guess we're still playing tourists for you, then," Harry said, trying to remain cheerful by making a silly, innocent joke.
"Oh, I cannot help but need to keep my mind occupied," Gadget giggled bashfully, and she certainly reminded him of a less stern Hermione with that.
Upon finishing their lunch, the rodents and fly made their way toward the grand library near the center of London, the towering building looming above them as they approached. Harry couldn't help but feel a little awestruck, even as he tried to keep his focus on finding his way back to Privet Drive. It had been so long since he had seen anything this normal: books, shelves, the hushed quiet of a library.
They snuck inside, unnoticed by most of the other patrons, thanks to their small size. Gadget took the lead, heading straight for the card catalog while Chip and Dale began perusing the shelves. Harry sat down at a nearby desk, feeling a mix of nervousness and hope. It was hard to shake the feeling that this world, this place, was so far removed from his own. It wasn't just the absence of magic or the talking animals, it was the sense that he didn't belong. He ran a hand through his hair, trying to push the thought away.
"I think we're in luck," Gadget called out to them after a few minutes, holding up a thick book. "I found something about street renaming and historical records. We might find something about Privet Drive here!"
"Finally, some good news," Harry muttered under his breath.
Gadget beamed, her voice filled with triumph, "Look, here's a list of old street names and recent changes. Privet Drive might have been reclassified in 1990 as an 'undisclosed residential street.' Looks like it's not in any official records anymore."
"Undisclosed?" Harry frowned. "That's strange. I don't remember it being like that."
"Well, no street gets renamed without reason, right?" Chip said, crossing his arms. "Something fishy is going on."
"We'll figure it out," Harry said, determined. "But at least we're getting closer."
"We sure are," Gadget agreed. "Now, let's just get a bit more info, and we'll head out. Privet Drive might not be as hidden as we think."
From afar, though, someone had other thoughts…
"My word, what a delightful banquet prepared on such a fanciful dish," said a thickly Posh accented male sparrowhawk as it flew next to his mate. Not only was he a larger bird of prey, but he also had a bowler hat with a green lace, and a dashing yellow scarf, "Dearest, can you believe what I am seeing, let alone see it?"
"Bugger me, sweetie, that there is quite the peculiar way for a meal to present itself," said a female sparrowhawk with a thick Cockney accent, a red beret on her head, and a blue bow on the side. "Do you think those blokes over there are Yankees?"
"Hm, judging by the looks and tones of fur, I deduce the female mouse is American, as are the chipmunks, but the male mice…" the male sparrowhawk pondered for a second while an excited Monterey began regaling Harry with tales of his adventures, "The rotund one is definitely Australian, but the black mouse is from our homeland…"
"Eh, do you peg him as one of them suburb fellows or a refined one like you?" the female bird asked her mate, who chuckled softly and politely.
"Dearest, you are a finely elegant bird in your sincerity," he replied smoothly.
"Aw…" and she melted before glaring at the Rescue Plane. "Ready when you are, love."
Reading the map, Chip frowned, "If we continue south, we should see a chapel-"
Zipping to the airplane, the two birds swiftly jabbed its wings with their talons, trapping the rangers in place with an abrupt stop. Everyone in the plane began panicking as they fell onto the dashboard or the back of the front seats. Chip felt nauseated after the direct hit from his noggin to the steering wheel while Gadget's smaller and slender frame prevented her from getting hit too hard. Harry and Chip had their heads breaking through the map the latter had been reading while everyone at the back was flipped upside down.
"Let us take you there, lad!" said the male sparrowhawk. "That chapel's got a fantastic view which makes teatime something to die for with a nice snack of rodent on crackers. Dear, shall we give them the fast tour?"
"On the double, double, boiling trouble!" replied the female sparrowhawk.
"My dearest… was that a reference to MacBeth?" the male bird asked in surprise.
"Yeah, figured I'd read them fancy books you love, love," she giggled, causing her love to widen his smile.
"I loved you already, you didn't need to enrapture me further," he snickered.
"Ugh, just our luck… lovebirds… metaphorical yet almost literally," Chip grunted while Gadget tried and failed to free the wings.
"…if we drop…" she fretted when looking down, gulping at the idea of becoming a stain.
"Please, do not tempt us," the male sparrowhawk replied. "We are birds of etiquette, code and refined tastes. Yes, splatted rodent is a delight to go with toast, but we are teaching."
"Just sit pretty and shake a little, loves," the female sparrowhawk added. "The fear may make you tough and stringy, but it'll get rid of the excess fat."
"Care for some introductions?" Harry asked irately, reaching for his wand.
"Sir William Wilhelm Williams Watterson at your service, lad," the male sparrowhawk began. "And the lovely lady to my side is the lovely Regina Rachel Roques de Rouge."
"Will and Reggie, for short," the Cockney bird remarked.
"But we prefer only for dear friend and each other to call us that, my good sirs and tiny lady," Will politely declared.
During their dramatic and suddenly friendly introductions, Harry had been plotting for a way to break free of their hold. Unfortunately, he didn't want to take any ganders with five lives riding on a gamble which could same only Zipper. He could try and blast one bird but risk the other retaliating and destroying the plane, sending everyone to a flat, early death. Option two was to try to repair the plane, but sparrowhawks were no slouches, and they could catch the rangers mid-flight with ease. The third option was a work in progress…
"Chip, did you say anything about a chapel?" Dale asked suddenly.
"Not now, we-" the twin chipmunk began, but his dopey brother grabbed his head to point his eyes to where they needed to look at. "Oh no…"
Everyone braced as the birds dropped the Ranger Plane inside the attic of a large chapel by tossing them through an open window. The rodents and fly braced for impact as Gadget hurriedly grabbed a lever which she pulled with all her might at the last second. Before all passengers and the pilot felt their bones break, the emergency measures inflated a pair of surgical gloves like they were airbags. Rubber cushioned them against its pumped surface and the surprisingly cushiony seats of the illogically assembled air vessel… before the seats literally sprung up thanks to the ejection mechanism that sent them crashing onto a hard wooden floor with the walls of the attic surrounded by old cardboard boxes filled with tidy yet old clothes from charity as well as handmade toys for Christmas.
"Keeping them fresh will be a bit of a chore," Will told his wife, "but it shall be worth… it…"
"Hold on there, mates, did ya really not get all your tiny bones broken like crumpets?!" Reggie asked in sheer disbelief as the rodents emerged from the broken plane.
"Quite the magical meals we cannot allow to escape, dearest," Will informed his love.
"Aye, love, true that," she nodded and the two hopped down to land and block off any possible escape attempt from the rodents.
Finally, Harry had room to pull out his wand and groan, "Apologies, Sir Williams, but we are not in a hurry to be breakfast, brunch, lunch, or supper."
"Perhaps you'd settle for being the afternoon snack?" Reggie suggested politely.
"My dearest, the fact you remain so innocent always moves me to love you more," Will told her with a wing to his chest and a charming smile.
"Aw…" both Reggie and Gadget cooed at the display of gentlemanly affection, clasping their wings and hands respectively.
"Gadget, they want to eat us," Harry reminded her, causing the female mouse to return to her previous state of panic.
"Sorry, pals, but we got somewhere to be," Monterey began, cracking his knuckles. "And I fear this is the time to drop etiquette, is it not?"
"Oh, perish the thought, good sir, I did not earn this lovely bird's affection by being a mere brute with my vocabulary," Will actually took some offense to the notion itself.
"That's what I am here for…" Reggie smirked and licked her beak, which stretched into a hungry grin. "Perhaps I may have one of you for an appetizer to keep you from running-"
"Flipendo!"
Knockback Jinx, the old reliable. Reggie was flung backwards as Harry stood between her and Gadget the instant the female sparrowhawk went for the still awed romantic mouse. It was a spell handy to push back heavy objects, but even with the size difference, it still gave the large bird of prey a rightful shove. That was one enormous raptor, though, and her very adoring husband was next to her as his wife crashed onto a pile of cardboard boxes. All giddiness from before was replaced with utter shock…
…it was a short-lived moment of stupor as he turned to Harry with fury, "How dare you, sir?!" he practically spat out the last word. "For that transgression against my wife, I shall have your life!"
Expelliarmus wasn't going to work since the sparrowhawk was unarmed, so Harry thrusted his wand at Will yet again, "Flipendo!"
Unlucky for Harry, the more regal of the sparrowhawks wouldn't fall for the same trick as he flapped his wings to gain flight and distance from the wizard. Of course, everyone else wasn't idle as the rangers regrouped and noticed that Reggie was getting up while dusting her beret with one wing. The female bird glared at them, more directly at the wizard who kept his eyes on the flying raptor. A brief exchange of glances and nods was all it took for the Rescue Rangers to know what to do.
"Harry, you get Will, and we deal with Reggie!" Chip informed the black mouse.
"Just when I thought that I couldn't miss my Firebolt more…" Harry quipped under his breath as Will looked for an opening.
"Get your filthy rodent hands ready for a thrashing with Queensborough rules, my good sir!" the male bird declared and dove at him.
Yet again, Harry relied on his knockback jinx by firing it three times in rapid succession. It would have worked if his enemy wasn't an adept flyer that moved at the speed of a bullet. Had he been anyone else, the wizard wouldn't have rolled out of the way just in time to see the talons leave scrape marks on the wooden floor before Will spread his wings. The gentlemanly sparrowhawk took to the air again to avoid getting blasted like his wife had, but that tactic of his gave the black mouse an idea.
Meanwhile, Reggie was still mad, "Argh, I'm gonna give you such a walloping that even your grandkids' grandkids will have a twitch!"
"Dare I be rude and ask?" Gadget pondered but then shrugged. "How did you marry your husband when you're so different?"
"Funnily enough, we love Paula Abdul's song Opposites Attract," the female sparrowhawk let out a nostalgic giggle… and then glared as if her sworn enemy was in front of her. "Now get ready for the thrashing of an eternity… What are you doing, darling?"
"Tinkering," the female mouse beamed around dismantled toy soldiers and cars. Whistling, she summoned the other rangers to her side, "Now, boys!"
Flying directly to Reggie's face, Zipper grabbed her beret and pulled it over her eyes while holding onto her beak for dear life. As the female sparrowhawk began thrashing around and cursing in age-appropriate Cockney dialect, Monterey grabbed her feet to prevent her from lifting off, planting his heels on the ground and wrapping his tail around a nail sticking out of the floor. During some squawking, Chip and Dale had climbed up to the ceiling and rested on a support beam over the sparrowhawk, looking at Gadget to give her a thumb up. The tiny engineer returned the gesture and finished her contraption, a spring and gear loaded ballista with a ball of shoelaces and wooden wheels ready to be launched.
"Crickey, this lass is a fighter!" Monterey grunted.
"Now!" Gadget shouted, pulling a lever from her makeshift ballista.
Flying at its target, the projectile spread to reveal that it was a roughly constructed set of bolas. Even if it was made of random shoestring and discarded toy parts, it still ended up ensnaring the bird of prey in the tight shoelaces just as the chipmunks landed on her head to knock Reggie down. Once the female sparrowhawk was pecking the floor, Zipper let her go and ran to help Monterey grab one end of the makeshift bolas while Chip and Dale grabbed another each. The rodents and fly managed to tie up the raptor with ease, but they were not going to celebrate upon hearing the flapping of Will's wings.
Harry was feeling his throat getting sore from casting the same spell over and over, "Flipendo!" he hit boxes, a window which thankfully opened, and a toy Bobby's hat on a shelf, but Will was too fast and agile, "Afraid that I hit on your lady?"
"Oh, that cheekiness shall not go unpunished!" Will exclaimed and dove at Harry with his winds doing seemingly minuscule movements to dodge every shot from the wizard who was yet again left with little option but to dodge out of the way. "I will have your head on-"
"Incendio!" Harry cast the fire spell onto the wooden floor where Will's talons dug into.
The result was quite ungentlemanly, "Yeow!" the bird yelped and began to hop while his wings flapped furiously to put out the fire. His feet were burning, but he still managed to extinguish the flames before they could burn the chapel, which infuriated him, "Now that is it! Just how dare you, sir?!"
Will hadn't noticed that Harry had walked to him and pointed his wand directly at his face, "Petrificus Totalus." The wizard said simply and sighed in relief as he pocketed his wand. A second later, he glared at the sparrowhawk and kicked his chin, toppling the bird of prey, "I have to agree with Ron, Hermione's quite scary…"
"Blimey," the two chipmunks said in unison once Harry reunited with them.
"Did you, uh…" Monterey tried to find the words for it.
"Ah, don't worry," he realized the reason for concern given how pure-minded and even more pure-hearted the Rescue Rangers were. "I just petrified him. He should get back up later… hopefully…" he whispered the last part to himself before glancing at Reggie, "You guys still did a lot better than me."
"Teamwork makes the dream work," Dale proudly declared.
"Even better when we've got a mysteries in our hands," Chip added.
"Still, stripe me starkers, lad, that magic of yours could put us out of business," Monterey pointed out in awe while Zipper rested on his shoulder, tired from holding onto Reggie.
"Yeah, I beg to differ when I saw you guys take down that lady bird without a wand," the wizard reminded them, looking at Gadget. "So, that ming-bashingly high IQ bit was underselling how smart you are…"
"Unfortunately, it is a bit of a curse with how much and how fast I think," the tiny blonde engineer replied while fidgeting with a small item in her hands. Lifting her hands up it sprung to life as a tiny windmill which powered up a lightbulb atop it, "Still, that was fun."
"First time there are manners when I am about to be eaten," he couldn't count Tom as anything but malicious in the chamber, and Will tried his best to be civilized.
"Perhaps we ought to introduce you to Fat Cat, I bet that'll be fun," Monterey snickered as he pictured said feline's whiskers burning.
"Let me repair the Rescue Plane first, and then we can discuss it," Harry offered, pointing at the wreckage. "Reparo!"
Once the broken pieces began returning to their original spots good as new, Gadget let out a giggle with rosy cheeks, "Now that is going to make me miss you, Harry…"
"Heh, I think I'll do my best to visit after this little adventure," the wizard smiled.
Quickly, as in the same instant he finished repairing the plane, both Chip and Dale began to push Harry into his seat as they spoke in unison, "Then let's get going!"
Leaving the two sparrowhawks behind, the rangers waved and, in Harry, Monterey, Zipper, and Dale's cases, blew raspberries at the immobile birds of prey. They shared a good laugh during their trip to Privet Drive where, hopefully, the wizard could get in contact with a certain cat lady… He made a mental note to warn the others of that. If anything, the idea of returning to his normal life felt sad knowing he'd leave behind such good rodents and insect. Everyone was brave and so eager to help, he wished he could've been born a regular mouse without the unneeded fame the title of Boy Who Lived brought or the strife from his life under those stairs. Alas, those experiences forged him…
Further experiences were going to mold him, though.
"Is that…?" Chip asked in disbelief.
"Did you read that map wrong?" his twin asked while holding the magically repaired piece of paper. "You said chapel and…"
"This is it, no questions asked," Harry said, blinking in awe before taking off his glasses to rub his eyes. "But… how, when…?"
"Afraid to say this, lad, but…" Monterey looked at Harry. "This is a cemetery."
Quite true, Privet Drive was actually Privet Cemetery with tombstones as far as the eye could see. Moss on some of the oldest graves indicated that the place was not a recent development. Adding to that the unfamiliar streets and landmarks, and Harry began to feel the world as he knew it collapse on itself…
"Hold on, I think I got it!" Dale declared, slamming a fist onto his palm like a judge's gavel.
"Um, no, you don't," Chip cut him off. "Your theories will be too silly to be true, dummy."
"When did we think magic would be real?" the red-nosed chipmunk declared, shutting up his twin who grumbled in agreement. Dale then turned to Harry and pointed at him, "You said you came from the Wizarding World, right? So… did you come from an alternate dimension entirely?"
"Like in one of those science fiction movies?" Harry asked in astonishment. "Hold on, that cannot be, that-"
"Not to be rude, Harry, but you are a wizard and you were still surprised to see us talk," Gadget interfered, causing said black mouse to gulp. "And… you said you were human…"
"Oh… oh blimey…" Harry's heart sank as he sat down, rubbing his face. "I hate that this is making a lot of sense, but… then… where even am I?"
"Keep that chin up, lad," Monterey told him, placing a comforting hand on his shoulder. "I speak as a wanderer myself, you can move forward, always. And if you wish to go back, well, we ain't gonna stop ya… we're gonna help you."
"Guys…" Harry felt touched, smiling sincerely in what felt like ages.
"Plus, we could really use a few honorary Rescue Rangers to help," Gadget added.
"Oh boy, oh boy, oh boy, we have a wizard with us!" Dale exclaimed, bouncing in his seat.
Zipper nodded enthusiastically as he and Dale mimicked Harry's fight with Will jovially.
"If he wants to, that is," Chip declared and extended a hand. "What do you say, Harry? Do you want to join us and solve mysteries big and small?"
For the first time in forever, Harry was given a choice… and he liked the idea as he shook hands with Chip, who was quickly joined by Gadget placing her hand on theirs. Dale was not far behind nor Zipper, with Monterey Jack hugging the group as they welcomed their new member.
Honestly, Harry thought, maybe living as a mouse is better than life as a man.
-END-
Before anyone asks, yes, the commissioner wants more of this. Chapters will come later, and I will try to keep this story episodic.
Second, the commissioner wanted Harry to be an Animagus but we came to the agreement keeping him as a mouse would work better since, well, picking up Fat Cat plus having magic would make things too easy for the heroes.
Once again, I do prefer monster boys dating girls of any species, so judge at your own risk. Let me remind you how female Youtubers went wild for Von Lycaon from Zenless Zone Zero. Trust me when I say that I could be doing worse, and I've been paid to for stories that I have not published due to the explicit content.
I'm Akito the Boxer, off to the next round.