Chapter Text
4 Privet Drive, Surrey, England
As Vernon's car pulled into the driveway, Harry was in the backseat, dreading the start of his Summer with his Aunt and Uncle. Not too long ago, he and Hermione managed to save Sirius from having his soul kissed by Dementors for committing a crime he never committed. He was prepared to come to live with his godfather but was told that he needed to prove himself innocent before he could take him in. Harry understood this and hoped for a better future with Sirius.
However, his chance to live with Sirius would never happen.
Vernon parked the car and turned to his nephew, "Get Out!" He hissed.
Harry complied and exited with Hedwig's cage in hand, with her still flying, on her way from Hogwarts. He also brought his luggage from the car and walked to the house. Vernon opened the door and came in, "Dudley, Pet! I'm home." Harry looked down the hall to see his Aunt Petunia and cousin, Dudley, walk around the corner to greet his uncle.
"Oh, Vernon. Good, you're here. Dudders and I are nearly finished packing the rest of the boxes." Petunia embraced her husband.
Harry looked into the living room to see it was stripped bare. All the furniture and knick-knacks his Aunt Petunia liked collecting were gone.
He looked up at her, "Aunt Petunia?" She turned to him, "What's going on? Where is everything?" Harry also seemed to notice every portrait in sight was also gone.
Petunia stood stiffly as she answered her nephew's questions, "While you were away. Vernon has been offered a higher-paying job in America. So, we are packing up and moving there." Petunia said it all calmly.
She turned on Dudley, "Now, help your father pack the last few boxes."
Dudley nodded and led his father to where the last few boxes needed packing. Petunia then turned back to Harry, "Pack up your room. We won't be coming back to England."
Harry dumbly shook his head and walked up the stairs with his school supplies behind him. He opened his door and flipped on the bed, hoping to relax and come to terms with him no longer living in England.
All his friends lived here, and now he would be on the other side of the world, separated by thousands of kilometers of water. He heard pecking at his window and turned to see Hedwig just outside with a letter in her beak.
"Hey, girl." Harry stroked her soft feathers, earning her smooth croons, "What's this you got?" He took the letter, unfolded it, and read the ink lines.
Dear Harrison James Potter
Gringotts have come to inform you that we goblins have recently heard you and your guardians are moving to the United States. Due to this, we won't be able to provide you with our services, but we can still help you adjust better.
This letter guides you on what to do with your school items and wand. Luckily, due to its sheer enormity, the United States has an even larger population of wizards and witches, so you are bound to come across a few in public.
We managed to locate where exactly you will be moving to. And luckily, there is a branch of Gringotts in the area and its version of Diagon Alley. When you have finished adjusting to your new home in America, the Goblin Nation would appreciate it if you were to come to the American branch so we could discuss business.
Follow these steps, as they will help you a lot.
1. Put your wand in the box provided. It'll be safe there until you need it again. It's charmed to appear empty, meaning muggles won't search it.
2. Take your school things and put them in the trunk. We've ensured it's sturdy enough to hold any items you want to keep.
3. Open the chest. You should find a map of the United States and its magical territories. It will focus on your location wherever you are.
4. Place the map in the chest with your belongings. Your trunk will magically transport everything to wherever you are.
5. Cast Reducio on the chest with all your magical belongings inside. The chest will shrink and move to your new residence.
6. Congrats! You're now free to travel about the country as a wizard easily.
You may find more tips on how to use your trunk later.
BEST WISHES
-Potter Account Manager Griphook
The Goblins of Gringotts.
Harry finished reading the letter and did as instructed in the letter while also handing Hedwig a treat.
Once he finished, he threw his school supplies into the trunk, cast Reducto on the bottom of the box, and watched the trunk shrink and neatly fit into the chest. Now, shrink the chest and hide it inside a luggage suitcase for going through the airport.
After an hour, Harry heard his uncle from downstairs, "Boy? You packed up there?"
"Yeah. Everything is packed."
"Good. Dinner's at seven. Relax for tonight, as we're leaving early tomorrow morning."
When Vernon began yelling at him, Harry knew it would be challenging to stay calm and relaxed.
The family of four all sat down at the dinner table. Harry wasn't ordered to cook dinner but was instead invited to join them as they ordered a pizza delivery. As they ate, Harry was trying to think of something to say that would not get him yelled at by Vernon for "sticking his nose where it doesn't belong." Not wanting to take the chance, he decided to stay silent.
Tomorrow Morning, Heathrow Airport
The Dursleys and Harry exited the shuttle bus and entered the terminal. The moving company was shipping all their belongings across the ocean to where their new home would be and should arrive when they arrived.
They passed through the security checkpoints and found their gate. Luckily, they were on time and boarded the jet with no difficulty.
Harry sat in the window seat next to an older couple while the Dursleys sat together a few rows ahead.
The man beside him smiled softly, "I know that look. First time flying?" He asked Harry.
Harry figured he meant his body fidgeting, "Not exactly." The man accepted his answer and left him alone as he and the woman began talking to one another.
After twenty minutes of waiting for everyone to come aboard, a flight attendant stood at the front of the passenger cabin. Harry looked ahead to pay attention to anything he may not know, but what was bothering him was what was in place of the flight attendant.
It looked like an albatross at the front of the cabin, but... Animated. It wore a pair of flight goggles, an old-fashioned flight cap, and a blue scarf. Hanging from his feathers was a name tag that read Wilbur.
Harry turned to the couple sitting beside him and quietly whispered, "Why is there an odd-looking bird on the plane?"
They looked at him oddly, "Have you never seen a Toon before." The woman said.
"No," Harry answered quietly.
The man said, "There have always been Toons on planes."
Harry then noticed the others in the plane, "And who are these people?" The ones in question also looked animated but with different art styles: some abstract, some hand-drawn, and others in 3-D.
The man laughed, "Oh, wow. You're serious. You've never seen or heard of a Toon?" The man and woman both laughed at his comment.
Harry turned to the man, "Sorry, I'm new to this."
The man shrugged it off, "Don't you worry about it. You should experience it for yourself." He didn't bother explaining any further, so Harry figured he would have to wait and see what was with the "Toons."
A voice came on through the speakers of the jet, "United Airlines is not having a good month. Exhibit A. Exhibit B. We're here to help with a customized pre-takeoff safety speech. You're welcome, Massive Airline Company."
"Welcome! We're excited to have you aboard this United Airlines flight, and we appreciate your attention as we demonstrate the safety features of this aircraft. FAA regulations require you to follow the instructions of our crew members and those of the heavily armed paramilitary team in the back of the aircraft. You must also comply with all posted and lighted signs. It's important to have your seatbelt on at all times. To fasten your seatbelt, push the metal piece into the buckle and pull on the slack to tighten. As you fasten your seatbelt, please scream the following words. I AM AT THE MERCY OF THE ALMIGHTY UNITED AIRLINES. UNITED IS MY GOD FOR AS LONG AS I AM ON THIS PLANE. LEGGINGS ARE GROSS."
The albatross flight attendant began demonstrating the various safety precautions and measures using his wings. At the same time, the man on the other end of the intercom continued, "In case of unexpected turbulence, please keep your seatbelt fastened even when the sign is off. Should a member of our flight crew unfasten your seatbelt and begin to choke you with it in front of your son, do not resist. Accept that this is all part of the flying experience, for which you paid between $100 and $550."
'What the bloody hell!' Even though he'd never been on an aircraft before, Harry felt they were joking around at this point.
"Please take a moment to look around and familiarize yourself with the aircraft. Find your nearest exit and remember that it may be behind you. Look at the exit for a long time. Think about what that door means- how easy it would be to open that bad Boy up and toss you right out of this plane whenever we want. Make eye contact with one of the mercenaries in riot gear onboard to keep you in line. Do not smile at him. Just look. That is who will throw you out of the plane." Everyone, including Harry and the Dursleys, began looking around. True enough, there were mercenaries aboard.
"In the event of a water landing, crew members will choose who lives and dies based on how much we like their outfit. Today, we are feeling cardigans. Anyone wearing cargo shorts will be tasered on sight. You have made a grave mistake if you are seated in an exit row. You now work for us, and you will live on this plane. Go to the front of the aircraft and swear your oath to obey and enforce plane law. Due to a change in cabin pressure, an oxygen mask will drop from the panel above your seat if necessary. Place the mask over your nose and mouth and breathe normally. Some of the masks are filled with a nerve agent that will turn you into a "plane beast" -- hulking, violent monsters who live in the cargo bay and follow only our captain's orders."
The passengers heard through the intercom that the guy stopped to breathe, "Today our captain is Bruce: may his reign last one million eternities. Remember to fix your mask before helping others. You'll find a life vest under your seat if you need it. To use, place the vest over your head and pull on the red tabs. A contract will appear on your screen. Sign this contract. In short, it gives us your house. We can make your house a runway now. We already have. We'll be landing at your house today. Make sure you've switched all electronic devices to airplane mode. If you don't, we will make you eat the device. I made a guy eat a laptop earlier today. It was gross. We'll be taking off soon. Sit up straight and shut your mouth. Stop crying. Good. We all here at United want to say we don't care about you and think you look stupid in that outfit. Oh, also, you can vape on here. We don't care. Our destination is Los Angeles, California, which takes half a day to fly there... So, you're stuck with us until then."
The passengers clapped and cheered after the speech.
'Flying as a muggle is weird.' Harry thought as he figured there was nothing else they could say about the plane's safety. Once the plane took off, Harry felt himself drifting away as he fell asleep.
Los Angeles International Airport
Harry awoke to a loud noise. He fluttered his eyes open and gazed out the window to see they had arrived. The landing gear engaged the brakes while the turbines provided reverse thrust to aid in the slowing down of the jet. The pilots began their taxi toward the terminal gate where ATC told them to go.
Once they got to the gate and exited the plane. The Dursleys and Harry met up and saw the terminal was filled with thousands of people, "So this is America..." Harry inquired.
"Welcome to America!" Vernon exclaimed and helped Harry with his luggage. They followed the crowd to customs, and it took forever before they reached the counter. After answering several questions, they finally cleared the country, and after retrieving their bags, they made their way outside.
Dudley came up to his father and whispered to him. Harry couldn't make out what he was asking, but he did hear "leave" and "Harry," whatever it was. It sure made him suspicious why Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia were not acting like they usually did around him. They have not yelled at him, called him a freak, pushed him into anything or anyone, nothing. For once, he felt he could just relax and enjoy this trip without being harassed.
They entered the terminal and stepped outside to breathe the fresh air, "Wow... It's hot out here."
"Indeed it is..." Vernon replied. Dabbing his already sweaty forehead, he brought out water bottles for everyone.
As they walked through the airport, Harry noticed many types of toons. Ranging from normal humans to elves, orcs, trolls, fairies, gnomes, mermaids, centaurs, imps, unicorns, animals, and even some bizarre ones, such as one that looked like a toad that was riding a tricycle.
Luckily, they found a shuttle bus taking passengers, and Vernon had the board. With everyone on the bus, it drove off from the airport.
Sometime later, the Dursleys and Harry drove through their new neighborhood with the SUV Uncle Vernon managed to buy at the dealership. This new area was a definite improvement from Surrey as every house was not a cookie-cutter home. Each property was different in some way, with freshly cut grass and sprinklers watering their gardens. Kids were playing in the street, and parents were walking their dogs.
This would be a better environment for Harry than Surrey, 'But what about the House?' Harry wondered.
Uncle Vernon pulled into the house's driveway, "We're here." Harry looked out the window and saw that it was a two-story house with a high-end feel. It had a freshly cut lawn with a garden up front, perfect for Aunt Petunia.
Harry was about to open the door to get out until Uncle Vernon stopped him, "Hold up. Stay in the car while I help get Pet's and Dudley's luggage out." Harry nodded, already having a bad feeling about this. So, Harry stayed in the car for the next twenty minutes with a water bottle to keep himself hydrated while Vernon helped his wife and son take their things into the house.
When Vernon finished, he returned to the car with Harry and drove off from the house, "Where are we going?" Harry asks.
"We are going for a little drive around town..." Vernon answered with a slight smirk.
After driving around for a few hours, they ended up in a part of the city that was far enough away from the Dursleys' new home. Vernon parked the SUV and looked at his nephew, "Get your stuff out of the trunk. And get out."
That was all Harry needed to hear before he scrambled out of his seat and got out while getting his trunk out of the back. Once it was out and Harry closed the hatch, Vernon sped off without another car word.
Harry watched with a shocked look as he saw Vernon's truck disappear in the distance, "No way... He abandoned me..."
After looking around for a few moments, Harry stomped his foot and said, "Well. Now would be a good time to find America's version of Diagon Alley and find somewhere to live." With that, Harry began walking, following the instructions he got from Gringotts and using the map provided to find the market.
After an hour or so of walking through the city with people walking by looking at him strangely, he managed to find the place the map led him to.
He was discretely taking his wand and tapping the spot on the map with instructions on entering.
1. Go inside and flare your magic. A sign should appear saying 'Aureum Refer' (Golden Alley). Go through it, and you should have entered it.
2. Yes, these are all the instructions. Why have something complicated like our English neighbors across the pond by tapping a series of bricks on a wall while you can flare your magic to gain entrance?
"Bloody hell, America is strange." Harry said as he walked into the building, flared his magic, found the spot where it said "Aureum Refer," and walked through.
As he walked through, Harry found himself in a massive market. It looked nothing like Diagon Alley as it didn't have rustic buildings and Victorian architecture. Everything was relatively modern. It also appeared that it had multiple levels with him at the bottom as he watched countless wizards and witches walking around with magical creatures.
Shops lined the streets with goods from around the Magical United States and neighboring countries. Not just magical items but also those made from muggles.
'It seems they are more accepting of muggles here than in England.' Harry mused as he followed signs leading to the American Gringotts branch.
Harry continued walking down the road until he found the Gringotts sign. He looked up, and interestingly enough, it was modeled after the U.S. Bank building in L.A.
Walking inside, Harry was in a lobby decorated with gold and white marble. A sign was posted saying "Take a Ticket," despite not knowing what it was for; Harry took one, and on it read a goblin's name and their office.
Going to the elevator with a bunch of other witches, he pressed the button for the twentieth floor, and up they went.
After a few stops, he walked along the floor and found himself at the goblin his ticket led him to. Knocking the door, he heard a brief "Come in." before being let inside.
The goblin sat at the desk and looked like any ordinary goblin at the Gringotts in England. He had gray slicked-back hair with smoother skin and a spiffy business suit.
"Hello there! My name is Ramon Bloodclaw." The goblin stood before him and extended a hand.
"Uh, Harry Potter, Sir." Harry shook his hand and was offered a seat.
After sitting back down, the goblin began their business, "So, what can I do for you today, Mr. Potter?"
Harry took out the letter he got from Griphook and offered it to Bloodclaw. He took it in hand and read it over. When he was done, he looked up at Harry, "Well. This will be quite interesting." He said with a grin and composed himself, "I suppose you would like to access your vault?"
Harry nodded, which made the goblin smile, "Very well. Hold out your palm." Harry did so, and Bloodclaw brought a wicked-looking knife and dragged it across his palm. Harry flinched slightly but saw the goblin place a blank card on it.
To his surprise, Harry saw his blood begin to be absorbed into the card, and a series of numbers appeared on it, "A debit card?"
Bloodclaw nodded, "Yes. We do things differently here in the United States. There are far too many wizards and witches around and not enough goblins. We don't have the time to take every one of our customers to their vaults. So, our solution is to bring access to them in the form of cards that the mundanes use."
Harry looked at him oddly, "Mundanes?"
Bloodclaw answered, "They are what the Brits call Muggles. Albeit, we Yanks think that term is more insulting, so we came up with mundanes instead as it's less of an insult and more of a descriptor for one that is normal and not magical."
Harry shrugged and took the card, "Thank you very much."
"You're welcome. As you can see on the card, you have white as your banking number and gold numbers that represent how much is in your accounts. Always keep it on you. Never lose it."
Harry nodded and looked at the card, "How do I activate this thing?"
"Just tap it against a terminal, and it will automatically connect with the bank and transfer the needed funds into your card. If stolen or lost, you can get a new one with a fee and the original being deactivated. But never lose it!"
Harry nodded and pocketed it, "Thank you for your help."
"You are most welcome, Mr. Potter..." Bloodclaw said as he prepared to leave.
Before leaving, Harry asked, "Um, one last question. I am going to need somewhere to live. My relatives kicked me onto the curb not too long ago and pretty much abandoned me. Any ideas on where I could get an apartment? I don't care if it's a rackety old place. Anything will work."
Bloodclaw chuckled and leaned back in his chair, pondering, "Well. You might want to check out the building across the street down into the market. They deal with housing arrangements for wizards, witches, and Toons."
"Thanks, I'll go check it out..." Harry said. The goblin waved goodbye and watched the wizard leave the room and exit the bank.
Main Street Red Light District, Night
Hours later, Harry is seen walking down the street at night with his trunk rolling behind him. He finished speaking with someone at the Housing Department building Bloodclaw suggested and found a place to fit his needs.
The place he chose to live at and sign off documents for was a sizeable apartment that would be shared with a few other occupants.
Harry didn't mind that he'd be living with others. It would be interesting to live with people you never met before. It would be like the Gryffindor dormitories all over again. His roommates may be similar to his friends at school.
Harry wasn't given the names of the other occupants he would be living with, so he'd have to wait and find out.
However, the place he would be living in was quite strange.
When Harry first got off the bus, getting there took him a long time. The street appeared relatively normal, with Toons working their professions and providing services to people. A swan selling balloons, a bald guy selling "CGI chipmunk hair," a vintage black and white guy singing a tune while shoe shining, and a puppet selling cheese.
What in the bloody hell is America on? It was vastly different from what Harry was used to back in England. Until today, he'd never heard of Toons before, nor had he seen them.
Harry had never seen movies, cartoons, or T.V. shows before Hogwarts and during the summer. He wasn't allowed to. So, he needed to find out who they were and what show/cartoon/movie they were from.
After walking for a bit through what's called "Main Street." He came across the area where his apartment was. From what he could describe, it was adult entertainment galore.
Clubs and bars lined the street with deep and vibrant red lighting. Some places played the standard club music as loud as they could, while others played more obscure tunes. It was like a mixture of everything.
Various Toons stood around in revealing outfits, hanging with their friends, making out with others, smoking, or calling people passing by looking for a good time.
'There is no way anyone would be okay with me being in an area like this. How is my apartment in this part of the city?! What was I thinking about getting an apartment in a Red Light District?' Harry thought to himself as he looked at the address he was given. He was indeed on the right street. He just needed to find the apartment building.
Eventually, he found the building, but it was between two sex clubs. One had a large sign that read "Shenzi's" with the face of a hyena glowing overhead. And the other reading, "The Jungle," has an assortment of neon animals glowing.
Harry couldn't help but blush as he looked through the windows and saw a couple passionately making out before one noticed his gaze and closed the curtain on him.
Shaking his head, Harry wanted to finish this day and get to his new home. He opened the door to the apartment building and got into the elevator. It only brought him to four floors, but it felt pretty high.
Getting out, Harry walked down the hall and looked for the proper address, "Let's see... 305, 306, 307, 308..." Looking up at the door he stopped at, it read "309".
"Perfect. Finally found it." Harry exclaimed as he rang the doorbell. After a minute or so, the door was unlocked by someone from the inside, and the door was opened by a Toon far larger than Harry.
"Oh. Well, hello there, darling~. You must be the one that the housing department mentioned over the phone. Harry, right~?"
Harry had to guess that Toon was three feet taller than he was. He didn't look like any ordinary Toon but more like a plushie or stuffed animal. It appeared to be a blue dragon but had soft little antennas atop its head instead of horns. It was hard to describe him. His body had a heavyset figure with thick thighs, wide hips, a long tail, and an overly stuffed belly with a zipper going down the length of it. All he wore as an article of clothing was a red collar around his neck with a name stamped onto the metal ring.
https://www.deviantart.com/bakermaker/art/The-Plush-Doc-1265774896
(Stuffy)
"Uh... Yeah. That's me. I'm Harry Potter." He extended his hand to greet the stuffed animal... Toon... Thing. Instead, the stuffed creature pulled Harry's body toward him, lifted and hugged him against his plushy body. Harry blushed and struggled to break free of the embrace.
"Oooh~! You're so cute~! The others and I are so lucky to have an adorable roommate~!" Stuffed Dragon whispered in Harry's ear before kissing him on the cheek.
Harry blushed redder than ever, "I-It's nice to meet you too." He tried to get his arms away from the plushy creature. However, he got stuck in a hug and decided to give up, trying to get loose.
Once released from the hug, he stared at the stuffed animal, "Um... You're... A plushy?"
Stuffed Dragon nodded happily, "Yup! The name's Stuffy McStuffins~. Or just Stuffy for short~."
"Well, it's nice to meet you. May I come in?"
Stuffy nodded happily, "Of course~! Come right in~!"
Harry looked around and saw that the apartment's interior was very different from what he had expected. It was also taller, most likely due to Stuffy's height.
"It looks a lot bigger in here than from the outside."
Stuffy nodded, "It is~. Toon logic helps quite a bit when making room for others~. Let me take you to your room before introducing you to the guys~." Harry nodded.
He followed Stuffy through the apartment and saw portraits of the plushy dragon and other Toons lining the walls at various events.
"And here we are~." Stuffy opened the door and allowed Harry in with his trunk trailing behind. It wasn't anything special, just a bed, desk, window, and a closet.
"Wow. Thanks." Harry set his trunk on the bed and sat there momentarily before blushing as his stomach grumbled, "Uh... I don't suppose you got anything to eat around here, do you? I haven't eaten all day..." He embarrassingly explained.
Stuffy giggled, "Of course, we do, silly~! What kind of Toons would we be if we didn't have food available for adorable wizards such as yourself~?" He ruffled Harry's hair (hehe) and pinched his cheeks before continuing, "You came at the right time~. Nigel is cooking dinner right now~."
Harry blushed, "Dinner, huh? Sounds great..." He said before thinking, 'I will need to ask them what a Toon even is. It's been a full day since I first saw them, and I have yet to find out... Wait, how did he know I was a wizard?!'
Stuffed Dragon led Harry out of the bedroom and down the hallway to the kitchen. They reached the kitchen, and Stuffy called, "Oh, Nigel~! We got a cutie that needs introducing~!"
They rounded the corner, and Harry saw what looked to be an obese humanoid bird. Due to the long bill and feathers, he had to have guessed this guy was a pelican. A rather curvy pelican. He wore only black underwear that hugged his plump rump and a black open robe.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1K2FtcC4UXydTTKI6M2WlypkzvRpReObG/view?usp=sharing
(Nigel)
Nigel was currently stirring some stew on the stove. He turned around and smiled warmly at Harry, "Hello, stranger. My name is Nigel. You must be Harry."
Harry nodded, "Nice to meet you."
"Would you mind taste-testing my stew? I want a second opinion on whether I need to add anything else before serving," Nigel said.
Harry shrugged, "Sure." He was handed a scooper from the bird and tasted the stew. After a moment, he answered, "It needs a bit more salt. But other than that, it's good."
Nigel nodded happily and returned to the stove while the two entered the dining room.
Stuffy pulled out a seat for Harry, who sat in it as the plushy spoke, "Might be better just to introduce you to everyone while dinner is served." Harry nodded. They sat at the table and waited a few minutes as Nigel's voice sounded through the apartment, saying dinner was ready.
A few seconds later, Nigel entered the dining room with a stew pot as another Toon entered the room and sat at the table, mentioning everyone else was asleep.
Everyone began dishing their plates, with Harry assisted by Stuffy. As they started eating, the other Toon looked at Harry, who was sitting nervously while eating at a slow pace.
"So... Who's the squirt?" Asked the large canine that sat across from where Harry was.
Harry looked up at the canine who asked about him. Besides the icy blue eyes, anthropomorphic body, piercing gaze, and big build, this guy looked like an average dog, 'A husky or malamute, perhaps?' Harry mused.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1zdVI1Y0wUnZZmwXUf6NPSM4sfA2YNkVb/view?usp=sharing
(Steele)
"Harry Potter." He responded nervously.
The canine furrowed his brow, "Really? They called and informed us we would get a wizard as a roommate. You don't look like a wizard."
Harry gulped, "How did you know I was a wizard? I never did anything magical recently."
The dog scoffed and huffed, to which Nigel interjected, "Steele, don't be rude to the child." The pelican answered Harry, "All Toons know the existence of wizards and their 'hidden' society. There are even some Toon wizards and witches. Plus, the housing department let us know you were a wizard, so there's no reason for you to hide it."
Harry nodded briefly before asking, "What's a Toon anyway?" He asked politely.
The three Toons sitting at the table froze as they looked at Harry strangely.
"How do you not know what a Toon is?" The canine named Steele asked.
Harry shrugged, "I'm from England. I had never seen or met one before. I guess they are not as common there, or I just never noticed."
Nigel laughed softly, "If you think you've never seen a Toon, you must be in for quite a surprise."
Harry blushed again, "Okay... Well, what exactly is a Toon?" He asked.
The Toons exchanged glances before Stuffy answered, "Well... Most of us are just actors who have starred as ourselves in cartoons, movies, shows, and other things. None of us know how we came to exist, but many came from Toon Town. Some were born there, immigrated to the real world, or were born here. Toons are people, too, and we live just like humans do. Except for our animated nature and ability to do things they cannot do."
Harry shook his head, "This is all so confusing." Before looking around the table, he said, "So... You guys are actors or something?"
"More like were. We all lived out our popularity by starring in movies or cartoons as ourselves. Now, we have other jobs that don't involve the filming industry. But, we still attend events on special occasions." Steele answered.
"Since you guys don't work on films or cartoons anymore. What kinds of jobs do you guys do?" Harry asks.
Nigel answers, "I work for the Department of Fishing and Wildlife. Stuffy is a doctor who works part-time at the club next door, and Steele is a delivery driver."
The four of them continued to talk more, with Harry asking them questions and, in turn, asking him questions.
Harry told them he went to a wizarding school from September to early June. They learned that he used to live with his relatives, and they were the less-than-ideal sort and often mistreated and neglected him. They practically abandoned him the moment they got to America.
"And that's pretty much it." Harry ended his story with the present. He didn't bother explaining what happened in Hogwarts each year he's been there. Harry felt like that was a story for another time. Right now, he was just exhausted.
After Harry finished his brief story, Stuffy stood his seat, walked over to Harry, and pulled him into another plush hug. Harry sighed and relaxed into the plushy's embrace, enjoying his body's soft and warm feeling.
Stuffy kissed Harry on the cheek and whispered, "It's getting late~. I will help you unpack your things~." Stuffy said, sounding like an absolute mother hen.
Harry smiled softly, "You don't need to do that. I'm fine."
Stuffy shook his head, and Harry yelped as he was lifted onto the plushy's shoulders, "No~. I will help you~. You've had a stressful day and should not be overworking yourself~!"
Harry blushed as he was carried out of the dining room by the plushy, leaving Nigel and Steele to clean up after.
Harry flopped onto the bed in his sleepwear and looked up at the ceiling as he thought about his first day here. Though it sucked to have moved away from England and been abandoned by his relatives, he was happy to have found a place to live.
His roommates seemed nice and friendly, but he feels he hasn't met all of them yet.
Nigel, Steele, and Stuffy were friendly but seemed very showy regarding their bodies. They never even tried covering themselves up better in the presence of a thirteen-year-old. They were adults, so he couldn't tell them they could do better in being modest, as that would be rude.
His musing was cut off when Stuffy knocked on his door even though it was open, "Harry~? May I come in~?"
Harry nodded, "Yeah. Come in."
Stuffy entered, closed the door behind himself, and sat on the bed beside Harry, "How are you feeling, darling~?"
Harry blushed at the term. He was unsure why Stuffy insisted on addressing him as such. "Err, I'm not sure. I had a rough day today," he said honestly.
Stuffy nodded, "I can understand. I know it's hard moving to a new country. Let alone being abandoned by your relatives. Don't worry. We'll all help you adjust and support you."
Harry smiled, "Thanks."
Stuffy leaned down and kissed Harry's cheek, "Don't mention it. I'm in the room directly across from yours if you need anything."
He stood up from sitting and moved away. Before the plushy could get far, Harry called for him, "Hey, Stuffy?"
Stuffy turned back around, "Yes, Harry?"
Harry blushed in embarrassment and looked away, "When I was younger. My neighbor, Ms. Figg, gave me a stuffed animal for my birthday. It helped me sleep, but then Aunt Petunia found out about it and took it away, claiming I stole it. Since then, I've never been able to sleep well since."
Stuffy frowned, "That's terrible..."
Harry nodded, "Yeah..." He paused briefly before continuing, "Since you're plushy, do you mind staying with me for the night? To help me sleep?" Harry asked quietly.
Stuffy knelt before Harry and tilted his head up so the wizard would be looking at the stuffed dragon, who was smiling, "I'd be delighted to help such a sweetheart such as yourself sleep. I'll be happy to do so anytime you wish."
Harry didn't know what came over him, but he wrapped his arms around the dragon and hugged him.
Stuffy was surprised at the action. Sure, he was quite the hugger and enjoyed cuddling with others, but it's been quite a long time since anyone, human and Toon, were hugging him. Being the cuddler himself, Stuffy accepted Harry's touch and wrapped himself around the boy wizard.
Harry could feel the plushy's body heat and his soft and squishy body against his own. He smiled at how comfortable he felt in the dragon's arms.
After a few more seconds, Stuffy pulled open the bed covers and crawled on, with Harry coming after. Harry huddled in close against the soft and plush body of Stuffy, clinging to his body for dear life. The dragon reached over and switched off the lamp light.
Harry laid his head against the plushy's chest and closed his eyes as he embraced the warmth of Stuffy wrapped around him. The dragon's heartbeat was steady and comforting, and Harry drifted off to sleep quickly.