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Chapter Text

1883 - University of Oxford

Basil flipped through the pages of the textbook, eyes focused on the information provided for his upcoming class when the sound of the door opening and closing took his attention. Looking up, the young eighteen-year-old mouse looked up to see what seemed to be one of his fellow students.

Already he studied the other, noting key features in the case of seeing the other during his classes. The first thing noticed was that this other student was a gerbil, the fur on the tail, dark brown rims around the ears, and much sharper, lighter colored nose dead giveaways. The short, messy looking mousey brown hair that framed the other’s dark green eyes and heart-shaped face.  While Basil himself wore a green vest to have under the uniformed jacket the university had for its students, the one that had just entered this room wore a black vest paired with black gloves. Like most gerbils, the student was already taller than Basil even as he stood up in attention and placed his book down on his bed.

“Can I help you?” he asked in a rather awkward manner as the gerbil looked around the room just as awkwardly. He looked back at Basil, clearly biting the inside of his cheek before answering. 

“Erm... There mus' be a mistake. I'm lookin’ for room 113?” The gray-brown furred student asked, redirecting to the door that was behind him to lead back out into the hallway. 

“No, this is room 113,” Basil nodded, taking note of the other’s accent. “I’ll assume that no one told you of sharing a room,” he continued as he offered his hand. “I’m Basil Ratburn. It looks like we’ll be roommates while we’re here. The other bed is right over there,” he motioned his head over to the second bed that was against the opposing wall from him.  

He was met with a slightly wary look before a false smile made its way to the other’s face, the brunette reaching and shaking his hand. 

“Frederick Knox. A pleasure to mee’ ya,” Frederick responded. He proceeded to break off the handshake and set down his smaller suitcase and other few belongings next to the mentioned before bed. Basil took the opportunity to sit back down and pick up his book again, though his attention wasn’t as focused as it was before. 

“So, Knox then? Paired with your accent, it wouldn’t be too much to assume you’re Scottish. Oxford is quite a ways off for you, isn’t it?” he commented, barely glancing at the slight glare Frederick threw over his shoulder. 

“Aye, but my father works in London. It seemed better ‘o choose a universi’y closer ‘o my folks,” he said, looking over some of his own books. 

“Oxford’s quite a distance from London.” 

“Ne’er said there wasn’t some apprecia'ion for some distance.” Upon Basil looking up from his book with a raised brow, Frederick gave a rather amused, sarcastic snicker. “I have six brothers.” 

“Good Lord,” the mouse muttered. He thought of trying to live with five more versions of his own brother back home. “Must be quite the household. You’re the youngest, I take it.” 

“Second ‘o youngest, and aye, it is quite the house’old. We ge’ along well enough, I think. Well, excep’ one, but he ne’er got along wi’ most of us to begin wi’. Honestly likely more quiet’ wi’ me and one o’ my brothers here in universi’y while my sister is now married off,” Frederick continued on, sitting on his bed and looking at Basil, or more particularly, the book the mouse had. “Headin’ into ‘he sciences?” 

Basil placed a bookmark to mark his place before setting it back down, staring back at Frederick, nodding half-heatedly. “Quite a few, but most of my schedule actually has to do with law.” 

The other nodded, resting his softer-looking face in a hand propped up on one of his knees. “You’ll likely catch up wi’ my older brother Fraser then, he’s here ‘o learn abou’ law too. I’m here for th’ sciences, chemistry mostly.” 

“Looking for work in that field in particular?” 

“Somewhat. A lot o’ chemistry comes wi’ the folk’s business, ‘n’ not everyone looks too glad when it’s just yer own father who’s taught ya which chemicals should be stored in what condi’ions.” 

“Your father’s a chemist?” 

“A bloody good one.” 

“A bit odd that the second-youngest also get trained for the family’s business though,” Basil observed, leaning forward. “Eight children, including yourself, that can’t leave too much of an age difference between each child if not accounting if you or any of your siblings are twins for most of them to still be in the household.” Frederick stared at Basil, giving a very cold expressionless demeanor. 

“I’m th’ heir, by my father’s choice. Th’ rest o’ my brothers have other ideas about what they want ‘o do.” 

“And you decided your father’s business was what you wanted to do in life.” 

“Why not?”

Basil went quiet, raising a brow at Frederick while the gerbil, in turn, continued to give an expressionless yet icy stare back. 

----

“And then Knox refused to answer to anything else I said, so that concludes how my first meeting with Knox went,” Basil said, once more reading from a book as three other mice listened to him. To his right was pale green-eyed Harold Bennet, a black and white mouse with a red vest underneath the uniform jacket, chugging down the breakfast in front of him as he listened to Basil, shaking his head. 

“So… Knox is Scottish?” asked the shorter, chubbier dull brown mouse across from Harold, tilting his head. Johnathon Shaw wore a mustard yellow vest with his uniform, leaning against the tap with his elbows. 

“Of course. His accent is mostly Scottish and the last name of Knox is a name of Scottish origin,” Basil explained, turning to the next page. 

Next to Johnathon and right across from Basil sat Alexender Riverfield, who eerie looked almost identical to Basil except for his golden-hued eyes. If someone were to look closer though, there would be the notice that Alexander’s fur was just a bit duller. His vest under the jacket was light blue, and his brows were furrowed as he looked at Basil. 

“Mostly?” 

“Some of Knox’s accent doesn’t match up in some places.” 

“Oh, who cares,” Harold said after swallowing down his food. “At least you get some quiet, Ratburn. I have to deal with the snoring plum here as my roommate.” 

“Oy!” Johnathon protested, glaring at the still eating mouse. 

“Who’s your roommate, Riverfield?” Basil asked, closing his textbook and moving it to the side away from Harold. 

“I got the older brother of yours,” Alexander explained between bites of his own food, eating much slower than the black and white mouse in their presence. “Fraser Knox. I actually thought he was Irish when he came into our room. He cursed in what I believe was Celtic, but it turned out to quite my embarrassment to be Gaelic.” 

“He said anything about a younger brother being here?” 

“Yes, though not much. I actually would rather have the younger Knox as my roommate, the older one already talks like a lawyer.” 

Johnathon and Harold laughed, while Basil shook his head at his look-a-like’s comment. Turning his head slightly to the left, his green eyes narrowed briefly as he noticed Frederick Knox talking to another gerbil who based on similar features Basil assumed was his roommate’s older brother. For a brief moment, Frederick Knox looked over and locked eyes with the mouse, the small glance of joy disappearing into a guarded mask. The two stared at each other from their ends of the long table until Basil’s brow twitched, a frown itching its way into his expression as he turned back to the conversation Harold, Alexander, and Johnathon were having about their studies. In doing so, he missed the brief victorious smirk that appeared on Frederick’s face before the gerbil went back to talking to Fraser. 

“I’ll be braw, Frazzle,” he said in a low whisper as a small smile was kept on his face. “Just think o’ this as a muckle test for me. I prac’ically was bein’ prepared for some’hin’ similar ‘o ‘his my whole life.”

Chapter Text

Basil eyed the chemistry sets carefully, staring at the empty test tubes as he heard Frederick already making notes as Alexander chattered away next to him. The class hadn’t started yet, but Alexander seemed quite certain of trying to stress how sure he was that he’d ace the class. 

“I mean, after all, you have to know some chemistry for the jewelry business. I pretty much already know loads more than anyone else here thanks for my father’s business,” he said, causing an annoying twitch from Basil. 

“Wha’ is Graham Law?” Frederick asked, giving a cold stare over at the mouse. Alexander blinked at the question, hesitating as Basil mentally snickered as the other tried to find the answer in his own head. 

“It is… it is the um… the rate that gasses... diffuse,” Alexander settled with as the door to the classroom opened. 

“I’m afraid you’re quite wrong there, Mr. Riverfield,” the rat that walked in said. Like any rat, he was taller than all of the students of mice (and a gerbil), his long black hair tied in a ponytail. The tan and gray fur pattern barely clashed with the white suit and tan vest the young rat wore as he walked up to the classroom’s blackboard. The only try clash of color came from the pink and purple cravat he wore.

  “Um, sir I-” Alexander began before the rat sent a look over at the mouse, causing the amber-eyed student to stop. The rat smirked before his attention went to the rest of the class. 

“Now then, I am your professor, Professor Ratigan to be exact, and which of you can tell me what the actual answer that Mr. Riverfield here failed to provide?” He leaned over the teacher’s desk, the smirk still on his face as the rest of the class seemed to fall into silence, the exception being Frederick and Basil who both instantly raised his hand. “Yes, Mr. Knox?” Basil scowled as Frederick returned the Professor’s smirk. 

“Graham Law sta’es that th’ rate o’ effusion or diffusion o’ a gas is inversely propor’ional to th’ square root o’ i’s molecular weight,” the gerbil said, earning a nod from the professor. 

“Exactly! Now if the rest of you will pay close attention-” 

The rest of the class mostly went into understanding the formulas and taking notes, most of Professor Ratigan questions answered by either Basil or Frederick, each one causing more annoyed twitches from Alexander. 

----

“It was ridiculous!” Alexander said, huffing as he, Basil, Johnathon, and Harold sat down for lunch. “And that was just chemistry, I haven’t even told you how those two did in Professor Ratigan’s mathematics class!” 

“In fairness, you claiming you knew better than everyone wasn’t exactly the most-” Johnathon began as Harold bumped in Basil, grinning. 

“Who answered the most questions in which class then, Ratburn? I want to know which egghead knows what better for my own classes with Ratigan!” 

Basil rolled his eyes as he ate his cheese sandwich. “Knox did better in chemistry, I did better in mathematics. And Bennett, I’m not helping you with Professor Ratigan’s homework.” Harold’s grin quickly turned into a frown, the black and white mouse huffing as he leaning against the table. 

“At least seeing Knox’s face when he finally got an answer wrong in mathematics was worth it. Bloody teacher’s pet…” Alexander mumbled. Johnathon patted him on the shoulder, giving a pitying look. 

“Oh now, now, you also said Ratburn here was called on to answer questions too.” 

“Not as much as Knox,” Basil admitted. 

“Well, he probably couldn’t help it!” Harold said as he lifted his head. “I mean, he is a rat and the only gerbils I’ve seen in this entire university has been the Knox brothers. Maybe he was being sympathetic.”

“What is a rat like him even doing being a professor here?” Johnathon huffed loudly. Alexander, Harold, and Basil all went into an uncomfortable silence as they all stared at Johnathon, along with several other nearby students. Looking around, Johnathon held his hands up in defense. “I meant that he looks young for a professor! He has to be what? Twenty or something?! Fraser Knox’s probably older than him!” The rest of the students around went back to their own conversation as Alexander looked around to see if he could join any of them while Harold shook his head. Basil, however, gave a doubtful hum. 

“Professor Ratigan should be in his mid-twenties, I believe,” he said, continuing to eat on his sandwich. 

“Not sure what him being a rat has to do with it,” Alexander said out of the corner of his mouth in almost a hissing manner towards Johnathon. “If the university sought fit to have him as a professor, then he’s a professor." Johnathon slouched down in embarrassment, an uncomfortable expression on his round face. 

“I didn’t mean for it to sound like that…” 

“Yes, well maybe think a little bit ahead about how you’re going to say something,” Harold whispered, keeping his head low. “It’s not as if Professor Ratigan’s the only rat teaching here. I mean, Professor Greenwood teaches music and several of the art classes here and I already heard Professor Brewgrain shouting at the upperclassmen when I was passing by the rugby team.” 

“Brewgrain?” Basil asked with a raised brow. “I haven’t seen or heard of him around here.” Harold gave a slight nod, his expression tight. 

“He’s short for a rat, but he has a temper to make up for it. He’s the gym teacher so prepare to be stuck in his class at some point here,” Harold went on, still whispers. “Apparently there are rumors that he also lives up to his name and is an alcoholic. Helps the groundskeeper hence why he’s not at the staff table most of the time.”

“What about Greenwood? What’s he like?” Johnathon asked, his ears perked up. Alexander directed his head towards the staff table in the front. 

“He’s the taller one talking to Professor Ratigan. I have him for quite a few art classes, due to my mother’s insistence if you can believe it.  He’s actually quite nice. Poor bloke is blind in one eye though,” he said, Basil looking over to see Ratigan talking to a taller, older looking, and very fat brown rat with brown eyes. Ratigan seemed to be quite bored by the conversation the two were having, his yellow eyes constantly darting to looking around the room towards several students. Basil felt a wave of confusion as he noticed a frequent target of the professor’s gaze fell to being the Knox brothers and himself. He liked to think it was from having a rather successful day of his first classes with the professor, but deep down, he felt a shiver run up his spine in uncertainty. 

“Huh, I guess it is rather odd that Professor Ratigan seems to be so much younger than the other professors,” Harold observed, also looking towards the staff table. 

“Odder that there are no student rats,” Alexander said lowly as Johnathon continued to keep slouching. 

“Could we just head on to a different topic?” the short mouse asked, wanting any out now. 

---

Basil would find himself an hour deep in homework before he heard the door to his room open and close. 

“Good evening Knox, quite late for a class to be letting out by now,” the mouse noted, writing down more equations to keep a note of. 

“Quite late for ye to be nosin’ into o’her people’s business,” Frederick retorted as he sat down onto his bed. 

“I’ll tell you the same thing I told Bennett, I’m not going to to do your work for you, so you better get started on that.” 

The taller boy stuck his tongue out. “I awready did i’. I do my work while dinner.” 

“Why the lateness then?” 

“I was talkin’ wi’ Fraser, ye chicken hen,” was the response he got, Basil turning to give his roommate a glare at the insult. 

“You talk enough with your brother during meals.” 

“We were comparin’ professors ‘n’ not complainin’ about their species lik’ your mukker Shaw back there.” 

Basil flinched at the accusation. “I’m not going to say he asked his question in the best way, but you know full well that wasn’t what he had meant.” The gerbil merely stuck his tongue out once more. “Besides, not everyone is going to have the best opinions of Professor Ratigan, whether or not by age, species, or a seemingly problem with favoritism.” 

“The bloody hell are ye talking abou’ favori’ism?” 

“He very much seems to favor you already over everyone else.” 

“He picked ye quite well enough!” 

“You noticed how he was looking at most of the other students?” he retorted back, earning another glare from Frederick before the brunette turned over away from him. “Good night, Knox.” 

“Bugger aff, Ratburn.”

Chapter Text

Criminal Justice was a rather quiet class, Basil found. It was almost disappointing to him on how little he was learning, but at least it then offered him to observe the subject of question in his mind. 

Fraser Knox, compared to his younger brother, was shorter and had paler fur. His eyes were a light blue, and instead of hair, the top of his head was swept forward similar to Basil. His ears were also smaller, and his furry tail had a darker color to it compared to the rest of his fur. There was a strangeness about Fraser’s appearance, an almost feminine aspect of it. Basil would be inclined to think that Fraser was crossdressing to attend the university if it wasn’t for the fact that Fraser’s voice was incredibly deep, wasn’t afraid to show his adam’s apple, and the way he walked was similar to that of someone inclined to start a confrontation than to hide something. 

Then again, the latter made Basil wonder if Fraser did indeed have something to hide. 

“Ratburn, yer pen’s leakin’.” Fraser looked over at the younger student, who in turn blinked and saw the mess that said pen left behind. Cursing under his breath, Basil got out a handkerchief and began to clean up as the gerbil next to him stared silently before going back to his classwork. 

After class, as he walked towards the library to meet Frederick, which the mouse had to admit that his roommate had the right idea to finish any homework in there, Basil found himself hitting his back against the wall with Fraser staring down at him with the slightly older rodent’s arms both blocking Basil’s way out. 

“... Afternoon Knox,” Basil said, meeting the other’s eyes. 

“I don’t know wha’ yer lot is tryin’ to play at, Ratburn, but you tryin’ to observe everyone here is goin’ to get you in more trouble than it’s wor’. Back off for yer own good ‘nd tell yer friends the same,” Fraser growled, the deepness of his voice making it hard for Basil to connect how similar his way of growling was to Frederick’s. “And if ye lot keep it up, chip Frederick out of yer troubles. I’m not goin’ to have my little sibling git in trouble while tryin’ to learn because some mice aren’t mindin’ their Jack Jones business.” 

Basil’s ears twitched at the other’s words, keeping a straight face as Fraser snarled and moved away, allowing the mouse to move and collect the books that had fallen to the floor. He took this time to think of what he had just learned, his eyes constantly darting to the direction Fraser went as the cogs in his mind turned. 

------

“Where have ye been?” Frederick asked, not even looking up from his formulas as Basil set his books down. Basil stared at the brunette carefully, trying to find something. 

“You know what your brother means by me telling my friends to back off, and I quote, ‘for our own good?’” he asked. Frederick paused in his studying, his green eyes snapping up to Basil’s face. 

“Not th’ sligh’est.”

“Truly?”

“If I did, it wouldn’t have been Fraser talkin’ to you about it.”

Basil hummed, still doubtfully put letting the matter go. Instead, he noticed how unlike how he had observed Fraser, Frederick’s voice was lighter, raspy, and had a somewhat forced aspect of it on his accent. 

“... Basil?” 

He was shaken out of his thoughts by Frederick addressing him by his first name, a brow raised. He hesitated for a moment before he sat down, rubbing his forehead. 

“Just thinking on reasons why. Regardless, what were the chemical compounds that Professor Ratigan talked about today?” he went on. 

“Th’ acids,” Frederick answered, heading back to his formulas. 

The longer they stayed in the library, the longer Basil took notice of more things he hadn’t observed of his roommate. Despite the tensions and constant growling and snarling the two of them had, most of Frederick’s expressions seem to translate better by reading his eyes and the small twitches of his ears. He looked up and watched how, even though to anyone else it seemed that the gerbil was focused or mildly frustrated, there was a spark of joy and eagerness flashing in those eyes. Basil’s eyes went back to his notes as Frederick looked back up at him for questions, pretending to focus on a particular problem presented in his paper. Every now and then, he let his eyes look back up towards Frederick during their conversation, constantly finding himself looking at the gloved hands that turned the other’s book pages. He felt his eyes narrowed slightly, trying to think of when he ever saw Frederick without them. 

By the time both were finished with their work, Basil trailed behind, pretending to gather up his books and papers as he watched Frederick leave out of the corner of his eyes, observing how the gerbil walked. He proceeded to frown, once more the wheels turning. 

----

“Basil?” Harold asked, the group of four mice having now long gotten past the point of deciding if they were a group of friends or not. 

“I’m thinking on something that should have been elementary to me, but is now leaving me befuddled,” the tan mouse said, barely touching his dinner.

“Well, what is it? Perhaps we can help,” Johnathon offered as Alexander leaning closer with his ears perked up.  

Basil hesitated for a moment before sighing. “Fraser Knox told me to tell the rest of you to knock off whatever you’re doing for your own good. Anything you three would know about?” 

Both Harold and Johnathon looked at Alexander expectantly, the dull brown eighteen-year-old blinking as he looked at them. 

“What?”

“You’re his roommate. I’m sure you know something.” 

“I…” Alexander bit his lower lip. “I might have mentioned that it’s a bit hilarious that he has such a deep voice but looks more feminine than his younger brother. And maybe might have mentioned being on the lookout for Harold since he’s been coming up with some… pranks..” Alexander eyed said spotted mouse who looked disapprovingly at him. “No offense meant Harold, but some of your pranks are dangerous for everyone who gets involved.” 

Basil remained silent as Harold began to protest, his eyes darting to down the table to where the brothers were talking. 

-----

Basil sat on his bed, waiting for Frederick to enter the room from whatever they were doing. He focused on the opposite wall, gathering his thoughts together as his tail lashed from side to side. That was until he heard the door open and he lifted his head up to meet the brief flash of confusion on the other’s face before Frederick settled for sitting on his own bed. 

“I’m guessin’ we’re abou’ to have a not so wee talk, ‘uh?” he said. 

“You could say that…” Bail started, still gathering his thoughts. “Frederick… I have no doubt that you and your family are Scottish, but since the beginning of us being here, there’s always been a strange forcefulness about it. And even still, not everything about your accent matches up.” 

Frederick’s ears twitched slightly, his brows almost narrowing in confusion but remained silent. 

“I finally figured it out when your brother decided to have that talk with him… he used ‘Jack Jones’ when he should have said ‘own.’ I don’t think I need to go further, do I? It certainly explains why he was concerned about you and your studies being pulled into trouble by whatever he saw as a threat in my friends and I.” 

Frederick leaned against the wall that was on the other side of his bed, pulling his knees up to his chest. 

“I’m not going to do anything about it if that’s what you’re afraid of,” Basil went on quietly, leaning forward as he rested his arms on his knees. “Just, perhaps you can fill me in on how come a successful ‘chemist,’” Basil said, figuring to trend carefully, “from Scotland would allow his kids to speak with some semblance of Cockney accents when growing up.” 

Frederick stared at Basil intently before looking to the side and speaking, this time his accent seeming more relaxed and lessen on the Scottish accent Basil had been so used to and leaning way to various Cockney sounding pronunciations to come through. “Pa star’ed off in th’ East End an’ met my mother there an’ star’ed our folk there. When she died an’ our lot moved on in ‘ime, I suppose us con’inuin’ to speak in Cockney phrases was… I suppose it helped ‘im mind her fondly.” 

Basil focused his attention on the other’s face before letting his gaze drop to the floor as he subconsciously began to twiddle his thumbs. 

“.. Yer not goin’ ‘o tell an’body, aye?” 

“I already said I wasn’t going to do anything about it.” Basil paused for a moment. “There are some other things I have to ask of course that has come into suspicion, Frederick, if-” the mouse looked up to see the gerbil laying down on the bed, facing away from him. He blinked at the sight before a tight expression went across his face and he tugged the collar of his shirt. 

“... Goodnight Frederick.”

Chapter Text

Dear Arthur, 

I give my congratulations to your promotion as well as apologize for the silence I have given you these past months. 

I do hope to ask you for some information that could be quite helpful to some of my studies in criminal justice. Would it be too much to ask for recently closed cases to examine as better examples? 

Your patient brother, 

Basil Ratburn 

----

Basil,

I’m quite surprised by your request. There are indentions in the paper you wrote that suggest you’ve been trying to find the right words to write to me for quite some time. I almost wish you hadn’t clearly went through so many versions of your letter since the only tangible subject I could make from the grooves was something about one of your classmates. 

Of course, I’m more than happy to help your studies, though do be noted, I’ve only been allowed to give the minimum amount of information on the cases I’ve been allowed to share. 

Your just as patient brother, 

Arther Ratburn

P.S. I’d suggest making different plans for this upcoming Christmas break, as Mother has mentioned in some of her most recent letters to me about visiting some of our cousins in France. 

P.P.S. I’d also advise you to calm down some of those thoughts of your fellow classmates that I was able to read from the indentions. Buggery may not be a severe crime, but it is still a crime nevertheless. 

----

Arthur, 

I have no such thoughts about any of my classmates! 

And I thank you for the cases and advice. 

Sincerely

Basil Ratburn

----

Basil, 

If I may quote from your previous letter, “a puzzle I find myself heading further down in trying to solve and find more clues to make a key I find myself only dreaming a prize to.” I’d also suggest focusing more on your writing classes because if it’d been anyone else reading it, say this very classmate, they would likely laugh in your face.

Your ever caring brother,

Arthur Ratburn

P.S. I can’t stress enough how serious I truly am about the advice on your writing classes. 

---

Basil screamed mentally as he read his brother’s response, still going through the various cases that he had asked for look through. Alexander looked up from his own book and leaned over, raising a brow as he read over Basil’s shoulder. 

“Your brother’s right, that quote is laughable.” 

“Oh hush!” Basil hissed, quickly folding up the letter and hiding it within one of his nearby books. 

“... So… who?” 

“It’s not like that!” 

“Oh come on, Basil, I’m quite curious. Which of our classmates has become your ‘puzzle to solve.’”

Basil buried his face into his hands to muffled his frustration, wishing that his look-alike wasn’t there to tease him about it. Alexander laughed a bit before patting him on the back. 

“Besides, aside from your horrendous line, he really shouldn’t give you too much trouble with your interest in someone,” Alexander went on to say, leaning back in his chair and looking back to his own book. “Nothing wrong with thinking about someone you’re possibly interested in.” 

“I have suspicions about Knox,” Bassil muttered after a pause, still covering his face. 

“What?” 

“Knox, I’m having suspicions about Knox and nothing more than that.” 

“... Fraser Knox or Frederick Knox?” 

“... Both.” 

“You naughty lad.” 

“Alexander!”

Chapter Text

Professor Ratigan’s office held a lot of items, from the typical books and scale set one could expect on a professor’s desk to small statues, a bell, some portraits of himself, and even a few jewels surprisingly. The rat himself was sitting behind his desk, drumming his long fingers on the said furniture as he glared down at the two mice in front of him. 

“Now,” he began, already causing Harold and Johnathon to flinch. “Why don’t you two begin to explain from the beginning about why you’re here .” 

Johnathon gulped nervously, trying to hide right in his seat as Harold shifted uncomfortably. The black and white mouse tried to look anywhere but at the larger rodent. 

“Well, you see sir, it more or less started with me trying to think of some harmless prank to pull, you know?” Harold smiled nervously only to be greeted by the professor’s stern glare. 

-----

“I’m telling you, it’ll be fun!” 

Alexander, Johnathon, and Basil all stared down at Harold, each mouse giving various reactions of disturbance and disgust at what the other was suggesting. 

“No,” Basil outright stated. 

“That is an idiotic idea,” Alexander continued on as Johnathon nodded at the assessment. 

“For the love of the queen, no,” Basil continued. 

“Oh come on!” Harold huffed, throwing his hands up into the air in frustration. “It’s just a harmless prank!” 

“Harmless my arse,” Alexander proclaimed. “First of all, we could actually get killed doing that. Second, if we somehow manage to survive even getting started on it, it could get someone else killed. Third, if by some miracle no one dies, we are sure to get ourselves expelled for even attempting to pull that off!” 

“Why would you want to give a professor a live cat for a prank?” 

“He’s mad about his grade on the last project,” Basil explained, rubbing his forehead as he set to go back to reading. 

“Like bloody hell I am!” 

“Fine, how about this? We spike one of the Knox brothers’ drinks or snaks!” Harold grinned at his new idea, this time meant with uncertainty from the other three. “Oh come on! Nothing harmful! Just some laudanum from a nearby chemist.” Alexander thought for a moment before nodding. 

“Fine, though we don’t even need to buy some. There some in the infirmary. Get your lockpick set and we can grab some,” he said, directing vaguely towards the said location. Basil’s face scrunched up at the whole thing. 

“I would rather stay out of this. And I would have thought you’d want to stay out of this plot too, Alexander,” Basil huffed, looking over at the other who he was considering one of his friends. “After all, each of us does have a Knox for a roommate.” 

“Oh please Basil, you can’t honestly say you wouldn’t enjoy seeing Frederick Knox be taken down a few steps with how much he just seems to excel over you in chemistry,” Alexander pointed out, grinning. “Or maybe just have Fraser Knox shut up for some time. Lord knows that gerbil talks enough for a class.” 

Basil didn’t give an answer, instead just turning to the next page. Johnathon shifted uncomfortably in his seat, in turn, looking between the three. 

“I… do suppose it would be nice to see them be a bit more humble,” he said quietly, his ears lowering with the uncertainty of his words. 

“If they come back around to you three for this, I’m not defending you,” Basil merely said, earning indifferent shrugs from Alexander and Harold. 

---

“I suppose that would also explain why Mr. Riverfield has been serving detention for being caught in the infirmary, hmm?” Ratigan sneered, having leaned over as he listened to Harold’s explanation. “How nice that you’ve explained why he was there when we found nothing that had been noted missing was found on him. Mr. Shaw, you’ve been quite quiet throughout this. Why don’t you give some of your side of this story.” The shortest shivered at the bared teeth Ratigan showed, wanting nothing more than to disappear. 

“Wel…. Well, Mr. Professor Ratigan sir…”

---

Johnathon and Harold both looked around the table at dinner time, carefully trying not to be noticed. It was near the end of dinner, and each had a small amount of medicine to place in their target’s drink and food. Neither could be sure which one the target would take. 

Johnathon took to quickly going by, nervously taking the chance of the brothers laughing with their eyes close to pour his amount into the drink. He quickly made his way far away before seeing if Harold was successful in drugging the muffin. The curly furred mouse quickly made his way to their room and sat in wait, his legs shaking as he held his tail tightly. 

Harold entered the room, a huge grin on his face, and proceeded to sit down on his own bed. “And now, we wait for tomorrow and hear from Basil the fool that Knox made of himself.” Johnathon still held onto his tail, gulping as they tried to get ready for bed. 

Hours later, Johnathon woke up to sounds from outside his and Harold’s room’s door, his eyes blinking to focus on his surroundings. Getting up from the bed, the short mouse unlocked the door and slowly opened it to peer outside. 

He blinked as he watched Fraser Knox quickly close the door to his and Alexander’s room further down the hall to help what Johnathon could guess was Frederick and Basil go somewhere, the tan-colored mouse on one side of the dull brown gerbil and the older rodent on the other. Closing the door quickly, the student quickly grabbed his pillow and threw it at Harold before searching for his shoes. 

“Harold, get the bloody hell up!” he hissed in a panic, jumping as he found one of his shoes and struggling to put it on in the dark. Looking back at his roommate, he huffed and leaned over to smack the sleeping mouse, finally getting to up open his eyes. “Wake up!” 

“Huh? Wha? What’s going on?” 

“Something happened with Frederick Knox, Basil and Alexander’s roommate are helping him go somewhere. Come on, you fool!” 

Harold tried to hurry up as Johnathon left the room, barely getting his other shoe on as he trailed after the other three down the hall. He turned around the corner only to hurry and hide back at the sight of Professor Ratigan meeting the three in the hall. In doing so, he nearly was bumped into by Harold, struggling not to yelp and gain the others’ attention. 

Peering back around the corner, he realized the direction the group was heading towards. “Please don’t make a right, please don’t make a right…” he muttered before cringing as the four did just that. “And they just went to the infirmary…” he muttered, feeling Harold flinch next to him. 

----

“Thank you, Mr. Shaw,” Ratigan sneered, the two mice not meeting his amber eyes. “Now, I’m sure you no doubt are aware that your little ‘harmless’ prank had some unfortunate side-effects for Mr. Knox. Would you like to possibly guess why?” 

“Um… Well... uh… we.. um.. Knox can’t handle the alcohol in laudanum?” Harold guessed, giving a sheepish grin. 

“Laudanum, as it turns out, contains ten percent opium. It also turns out, that Frederick Knox has an opium allergy. A very nasty one in fact.” 

Johnathon gave out a small eep as he shrunk down in his seat even further while Harold froze in his. Ratigan’s eyes were still narrowed, though both had problems with seeing the rest of his expression behind his hands. 

“Now, the headmaster has decided to be… merciful about your punishment, both of you and Mr. Riverfield will be going through those said punishments under Professor Brewgrain. Don’t forget how lucky you lot got. You may go now.” 

No sooner had Ratigan uttered his dismissal of them did the two teens run out of the office, quickly closing the door behind them. Ratigan remained seated at his desk before he got up and headed down the infirmary, walking slowly with his hands behind his back. As he entered the infirmary, he raised a brow at the sight of Basil sitting next to the gerbil. Walking up to the side of the mouse, he leaned over the end rail at the end of the bed, staring at the pasted out form of Frederick Knox as he lit a cigarette. 

“I heard Bennett and Shaw running down the hall,” Basil commented, not moving from his spot. 

“Oh, I’m quite sure Professor Brewgrain will whip them into such a shape, that’ll be the least of their worries,” Ratigan huffed, blowing out a puff a smoke. 

Silence fell between the two, Ratigan’s gaze slowly leading to look at Basil. The young male was still in his pajamas with his shoes on, tired bags under his green eyes as he continued to watch Knox. His tail was clearly twitching slightly, anxious about something, whether it was the other student’s own health or something else. Ratigan twisted the cigarette between his fingers, organizing his thoughts about how to take care of this loose end. 

“I see you’ve become aware of a few other matters, Mr. Ratburn.” 

Basil froze but didn’t tense up, instead finally flicking his gaze up to meet the larger male. Ratigan continued to smoke, starting back. 

“You knew as well.” Ratigan’s fingers twitched slightly at Basil’s statement. 

“For your own good, I’d suggest keeping to your silence on the matter.” 

Basil stared, eyes widen before narrowing. “I beg your pardon, Professor, but-” 

“Oh please do, I do so enjoy the sound of it.” 

“But are you threatening me?” 

“Hmm, let me think,” Ratigan tilted his head up before looking back down at Basil. “Yes. I believe I am, Mr. Ratburn. Or should I call you Basil now?” He grabbed Basil’s jaw and forced him to look up at him. “Regardless, it’d be such a shame for your reputation and studies to be cast into ruin after exposing two other students for their background and … other details. So I suggest keeping your mouth shut.” 

Basil glared at Ratigan as he stood up and forced the other’s hand away from him. Ratigan grimaced, looking down at him. 

“I suggest you go on and head to bed. I’d hate for you to be late to your morning classes,” Ratigan said, pinching Basil’s cheek before pushing him back. Upon the mouse starting to object, he snarled and pushed him out of the infirmary. “I said, head to bed!” 

He closed the doors after the student before heading back to Knox’s side, sitting down and leaning back, blowing out a puff of smoke. He looked down at the gerbil, taking in a deep breath. 

“You’re getting better at that ‘remaining asleep’ act.” 

The gerbil rolled over, green eyes opened and focused on the rat tiredly. Ratigan leaned over, brushing back part of the brunette’s hair. 

“Wha’ happened to Bennett ‘n’ Shaw?” he mumbled, reaching to hold onto Ratigan’s hand. 

“Officially, Professor Brewgrain’s going to be punishing them. Headmaster Forbes decided to stress to your brother, and yourself for when he manages to come by when you’re awake, to not mention anything to your father.”

“Fraser’s goin’ to tell him an’way.” 

“Oh no doubt.” Ratigan slowly rubbed the gerbil’s knuckles, earning the younger rodent to slightly close those green eyes. “Do be careful during these upcoming couple of semesters, will you?” 

“I mak’ no promises, Padd’.”  Ratigan chuckled as he lifted the student’s hand to his face and kissed the knuckles. “I’m sure your father would be quite proud of you saying that, Evans .”

Chapter Text

Basil looked up from the board to watch Harold trying to slick back the fur on his head in a mirror. Alexander made his move, placing a pawn in front of Basil’s rook. 

“Harold, why do you insist on constantly doing that?” he asked, green eyes going back to eyeing the chessboard to calculate his next mood. 

“Well, I have to help make my image different from the three of you somehow,” was Harold’s answer. Alexander and Johnathon both looked up at the spotted mouse, Alexander raising a brow while Johnathon squinted. 

“But… you’re so obviously different looking that the rest of us,” Johnathon pointed out. “Your fur alone is black and white and you already wear bright red under the jacket. I think it’d be more confusing for everyone that you don’t seem to have anything in common with us.” 

“Exactly! It throws everyone off! Besides, I’d look ridiculous if my hair tuft was swept forward like the three of you have.” 

Basil rubbed his chin, still staring at the board as his ears twitched. He reached over and moved his king, his eyes darting back to the three as he waited for Alexander to take his turn now. 

“You look ridiculous with it swept back.” 

“Gee, thank you so much, Basil,” Harold rolled his eyes as he sat down at the table with the three. “Maybe you or Alexander should try it, you odd look-alikes.” 

Basil and Alexander stared at him before Basil shrugged and moved a hand through his fur, sweeping his hair tuft backward. The young mouse proceeded to find himself being stared at by his friends, all three looking at him wide-eyed. Harold shook out of it first, reaching over to Alexander and sweeping his hair tuft back as well before the amber-eyed mouse could smack his hand away.

“Oh wow… Alexander, you can’t pull that look off. Basil, you could seduce a nun with it,” he announced. 

“Harold, do you ever think before you speak?” Alexander scowled as he went back to the game of chess they had been playing. 

“Yes, and whether you believe it or not, that was the tame version of what I was thinking.” 

Basil’s face scrunched up at Harold’s comment before he looked at Johnathon’s wide-eyed expression. 

“You look good with it,” the smaller mouse said before biting his lower lip. 

“See? Look! You’ve even just seduced poor Johnathon here right before our eyes!” 

“For Heaven’s sake, Harold!” 

“Basil, you are no longer allowed to have your hair swept back! You are simply too powerful with it!” 

“Harold, will you shut up about it!?” 

“You’re just mad that you can’t pull it off as well as he can, Alexander!”

Chapter Text

Ever since the confrontation in the infirmary, Basil had kept a wary eye on Professor Ratigan. The problem that he found now was that he was being watched back. Whenever he looked up from his classwork in either chemistry or mathematics, he found the professor’s golden eyes looking back at him, seemingly bored at first appearance, but the more Basil tried to keep an eye on him, the more he noticed a gleam in the rodent’s eyes particularly aimed at him. 

He found himself on a constant lookout for the Professor trying to sabotage his work. Instead, he saw a different problem. 

He was constantly reminded of the absence of his roommate as he recovered and let curiosity get him. 

It just started with a thought, that while he was constantly checking his items, he hadn’t check Frederick’s and the chance the professor would use that to his advantage. Not to mention the number of suspicions he had about the gerbil himself. So he had opened up the small dresser that held Frederick’s belongings. 

Aside from clothing, it turned out Frederick kept several pictures of his family. Sitting down on the gerbil’s bed, Basil went through looking at the worn pictures. The first one was a simple one, with who Basil assumed was Frederick’s father, mother, and brothers. He frowned as he recognized Fraser sitting on the far left, the mouse guessing that this picture was taken when Fraser was probably seven or eight. Next to the young Fraser was a slightly older boy with older fur, but much lighter eyes. Basil’s eyes narrowed as he traced a hand over what he assumed was the boy of around nine or ten. Despite the black and white picture, there seemed to be enough of a slight difference in the eye hues that the mouse could make the guess that the eldest Knox son had a case of heterochromia.

‘Probably around twenty-five now,” he thought as

 Next was an even darker colored, younger boy with colorpoints and dark hair. Basil guess this one to have been a year or two younger than Fraser, likely putting this brother around twenty-one currently. Basil’s eyes went to the mother next, pausing at the sight of her. 

She had the lightest fur of the entire family, the different coloring of her hair making him wonder if she had red or light auburn hair. Her clothes were incredibly simple, with the exception of a necklace she wore. A diamond-shaped jewel hung off the mother’s neck, probably worth quite a lot if he had to guess. He found himself staring at her large, almond-shaped eyes that were looking back up at the father, once more giving pause. 

He looked to be a prideful looking dark-furred gerbil with colorpoints and eyes that Basil could tell wasn’t brown, but were still dark. The student’s eyes remained narrowed as he stood and up walked over to his desk, pulling out the folder Arthur had sent him and started to compare pictures. He knew the father’s eye color was blue from his notes, he just needed to find the picture to be absolutely sure. 

He stopped as he picked up the picture he’d been looking for and compared the appearance, his expression going tight as he looked at the face of Lachlan Knox, the picture from his case having his eyes staring coldly at the camera. He dropped the picture back into the case file, slouching over his desk as he looked back at Frederick’s picture. Basil bit his lower lip, his eyes scrunching up at the warmth and love that clearly radiated from Lachlan’s gaze to Frederick’s mother. 

His eyes finally went to the youngest child in her lap, frowning as the toddler stared back up at the camera with their fist in their mouth. He knew full well who this was too, likely a one to two-year-old Frederick Knox. But the number of children there didn’t match up to the number of siblings his roommate claimed to have. The answer came in the next few photos of the family. 

A dark blonde curly-haired mouse and two teenage mice, a boy with bushy eyebrows and upset expression and a girl with shorter, dirty blonde hair in place of the gerbil mother. ‘Probably a few years after she died,’ Basil thought, looking at the tension that seemed to be part of the family. Looking for Frederick, the mouse found himself frowning as he stared at a thirteen-year-old ‘Frederick’ Knox in a light blue dress and shoulder-length hair, looking very uncomfortable. 

‘Knew it.’

The next family picture was without the curly-haired mouse, now instead of a dark-furred rat woman with small ears and new additions of two rat boys, an older one with white markings clashing against dark gray fur and a younger one with dark grey fur, but his white markings on his ears. Basil wondered if what had happened to Lachlan’s second wife before examining the family once more. There was still some clear tension, but not as much as the last picture. ‘Frederick’ was now wearing a sweater and vest with a large green bandanna, but the brown hair Basil was so used to seeing short was long and wavy, tied in a loose ponytail with a green ribbon. If he had to guess, this picture was likely only taken around a year or two ago.

There were other pictures after that, letting Basil in and showing the extent of the type of life the Knox brothers had back home. He frowned as he looked through each one, looking at the youngsters and thugs that joined in later pictures, no doubt friends and workers back home. 

The moment he was done looking through all of him, Basil set them down and looked back at the case files he had. Picking up Lachlan Knox’s criminal photo once more, he narrowed his eyes as he stared back at the cold, harsh, dark blue ones. The mouse’s grip on it tightened, threatening to crumble it up as he began to notice too many similarities to his roommate. While ‘Frederick’s’ eldest brother seemed to have similar eyes, it was easier to see that Basil’s roommate had the more obvious resemblance with that characteristic when combined with the thick brows Lachlan had passed down to his youngest biological child. If he really had to make a comparison, Basil would have said that his both roommate and Fraser looked more like their mother. 

He made sure to place the pictures back in their proper place, making sure to have them in the right order as he went on about his normal schedule, trying to forget everything he had learned and confirmed within his mind. 

When ‘Frederick’ was back up and about though, Basil found himself distracted and constantly watching the gerbil, looking for any sign that he had been found out and regretting. Regretting the plans he had held in his mind, regretting learning so much, regretting trying to figure out what to do with the information he had learned, or even if he should do anything about it. 

Just regretting.

Chapter Text

Sometimes the fact that they held such a great deal of physical similarities annoyed both Basil and Alexander. Every now and then, a student would approach Basil as he was studying, beginning to talk about something dealing with jewelry, business, or some of the other classmates that Basil didn’t even know about before the other student would realize that the mouse they were talking to had green eyes, not gold. Other times, Alexander would be chatting with another student when a third party would come up and ask why they weren’t in one of Basil’s classes dealing with law before realizing the shade of brown was just slightly off. 

Even Harold and Johnathon got the two mixed up if they weren’t next to each other. 

“Hey Basil, where’s your book- oh wait, sorry Alex…” Harold muttered, his ears lowering as Alexander glared over at him. 

“Alexander, where’s- Oh, dear, I’m so sorry Basil!” Basil groaned as Johnathon bleated out apology after apology. 

Their attempts to further differentiate themselves either ended up being minimal or were ideas from Harold. 

“Harold, we’re not going to wear these…” Alexander growled, both him and Basil now wearing signs each saying their last names. 

“Well you can’t just wear different colors, they’ll be hidden under the uniform jacket!” Harold threw his hands up in the air as Johnathon hide his face in his hands while he remained in the background. 

“This is coming from the mouse that proclaimed I was banned from having my hair swept back,” Basil huffed. 

“It makes you too sexy and Alexander looks idiotic when he tries it!” 

“Harold…” Johnathon hissed. 

“We have to think of something !” 

“Maybe if one of us wore a bow instead of a tie?” Alexander stage-whispered towards Basil. 

“Too subtle and isn’t something someone would see if they approached from behind.” Basil huffed, looking at Alexander’s ears in particular. “What about earrings? Wouldn’t be too off for you since your family is involved in that business.” 

“I hate the bloody things.”

“You rather go with Harold’s idea? Besides, it’d only be for around here.” 

“Why not you?” 

“My mother will literally disown me.” 

“You both realize we’re still here, correct?” Johnathon said out loud, the two mice looking to both him and an unamused Harold. “Listen, obviously there’s no tasteful way for you two to really be different enough to other’s sight. You two are thinking too simple and Harold here is thinking too obvious.” 

“Well, what do you have to offer then, Johnny boy?” Harold glared. 

“Different pants?” 

“... Jonathan, who’s going to look at someone’s pants?” Alexander asked while Basil raised a hand to try and silence him. 

“No, no, wait, I think Johnathon’s on to something.” 

“Um, I do? It’s how I know Harold’s been sneaking out with his lockpick case to see the village girls, he always has mud at the bottom of the one pair of light-colored pants he has that’s always worn the day he’s planning to go out.” 

“You son of a-” 

“Everyone else will more notice if the pants are different colors, so just stick with that,” Jonathan continued on as Basil and Alexander looked over at Harold with raised brows. 

“Harold why are you-” 

“He’s really desperate.” 

“Johnathon!”

Chapter Text

“Mr. Knox, Mr. Ratburn, you will be discussing the case of Low-Ellish. Mr. Ratburn, you will be on the defense. Mr. Knox, you will be on the offense. You have thirty minutes to get through this. Begin.” 

Basil stared at Fraser from across the room, the gerbil’s blue eyes locked coldly on the mouse’s green ones. The rest of the classroom shifted uncomfortably as the room’s atmosphere chilled harshly. Rumors of what had happened to the younger Knox spread like wildlife, some exaggerating and getting out of hand despite professors’ attempts. None of the other students who shared classes with anyone connected to the event looked forward to this debate. 

“Mrs. Low was accused of the murder of her infant son.” Basil started, the tips of his fingers digging into the palm of his hand hidden behind himself. “However, as later dates show, Mrs. Low was mentally ill at the time. And at the time of the murder, Mrs. Lowe was working as a servant to a family, with the rest of her children in the workhouse and her second husband had disappeared. There was also a witness that confirmed Mrs. Low’s statement of the baby having fits. Would it really be too much to assume how in a panic while alone with a baby having a fit, Mrs. Low accidentally suffocating her own baby?” 

With each word that came from his own mouth, he had to try his best to keep his face calm, clenching his fist harder behind his back. Fraser took in a deep breath, his own hands behind his back as he focused on staring at Basil. 

“Mrs. Low’s mental condi’ion was only confirmed by her while she remained in prison. There was no doctor’s notice ever given to th’ court. ‘nd while it may be easy to assume -” Basil clenched his teeth as Fraser made an emphasis on the word, the other pausing. “-that Mrs. Low’s actions were an accident, we’re left wi’ several accounts ‘n’ statements that show that she lied, both before ‘n’ after th’ boy’s death. She left th’ bairn supplies in th’ home she stayed in, she continued ‘o say that her sister had th’ laddie when she returned-” Fraser counted off each statement on his fingers, which noticeably remained tense. “-and she lied about her previous employers giving her those said bairn supplies.” 

“You are also making the assumption, it seems, that her employers would have just given her those items or that Mrs. Low, in a hurry to get to the train to meet her sister as she said, would remember everything.” 

“You’re also making the assump’ion that Mrs. Low’s posi’ion would mak’ her stealing those items any less incrimina’ing.” 

“Sirs, stay on track,” the professor sharply imputed, causing both students to tense up their shoulders. “You have fifteen minutes left.”

“It shouldn’t be forgotten that Mrs. Low was taken into custody without a warrant . All the procedures of a formal investigation that should have taken place weren’t.” 

“But sh-” 

“But Mrs. Low confessed to the child’s death, with the death as an accident, long after she was being held in forceful custody with little idea and no explanation at the beginning of why she was being arrested, to begin with. And as the case itself took place in 1876, we need to be reminded of how a single mother, after the death of her baby and so shortly returning back to work, being suddenly arrested and years later is said to have had a mental condition at the time, could possibly think with a right mindset in her circumstance.” Basil could swear he felt his nails piercing his palm with how tightly he clenched his fist behind him, determined to see this debate to the end. He kept his eyes on Fraser though, also just as determined to deal a final blow. 

“I’m sure it’s quite easy for anyone to look at her situation and be biased to thinking of her as a victim, correct Mr. Knox?”

The gerbil outright glared at the mouse, his shoulders tense. 

“Th’ trail itself, wi’ all th’ letters documented from a’body Mrs. Low wrote, reveals Mrs. Low as a gifted liar,” Fraser began, his grip on his desk as tight as Basil’s clenched fist. “An’ a thief. Cold enough ‘o lie ‘n’ steal in th’ face of her employers, a woman who cared for her ‘n’ her bairn, ‘n’ to have left her own children behind in th’ conditions of th’ workhouse.” 

Basil didn’t hide his frown, noticing how Fraser’s tone almost seemed to speak of Low’s actions as something to admire more than something to be disgusted at. Almost as if he had caught his mistake himself, Fraser hardened his expression as he went on. 

“Caught by th’ police, claiming her bairn’s death was one of an accident was th’ closest she could get ‘o bein’ seen as innocen’. How fortunate is it that th’ jury still found her guilty then.” A bitterness seemed to echo in Fraser’s tone, his knuckles white on his desk. 

“Time, gentlemen.” 

Both rodents looked to the professor, the elderly mouse staring at them both as his hands rested on his stomach crossed. 

“The rest of the class will write their own decisions about the case, whichever side wins the majority is this class’s verdict. Dismissed.” 

-----

“So… how did it go?” Harold asked before biting his lower lip as he watched Basil’s stabbing at his lunch. 

“It wouldn’t have been as bad if I hadn’t been assigned to be one the defense,” he grumbled, twisting his fork. 

Harold was about to say something before Alexander elbowed his side harshly. Johnathan proceeded to take up the mantle to ask. 

“You made good points for your side though-” 

“A side I don’t agree with.” 

The three stared at him, blinking. 

“You… thought she murdered her baby on purpose?” 

“Where was her sister in the questioning?” Basil sneered. “There were mentions of her, but she didn’t come to testify, say anything in her defense. Why did no one, not even Mrs. Low herself, say to bring her in?” The mouse picked at his food, huffing. “I’d say it’s because there was never going to be a meeting with the sister, that the defendant refused to bring her in because she would have only made Mrs. Low more guilty.” 

“Or maybe th’ sister did it herself.” 

All four mice turned to see Fraser Knox standing behind them, his eyes staring down at them like ice. Johnathan and Harold shrunk back as Alexander shifted uncomfortably. Basil merely raised a brow. 

“How about this, Basil? Say th’ meetin’ between th’ sisters happened, Mrs. Low already having had left for th’ house she was staying at. The sister realizes there are no baby supplies, so she goes after Mrs. Low ‘n’ catches up wi’ her. Th’ bairn has a fit, ‘n’ th’ sister, havin’ never had children before, is th’ one who accidentally suffocates th’ laddie. Mrs. Low havin’ been there ‘n’ knowin’ that her sister, an unmarried woman who, again, never had a bairn, wouldn’t have a chance to be judged as an innocent, helps hide th’ bairn’s corpse. She takes any clues towards her sister awa’ but forgets to tak’ th’ clues towards herself.” Fraser paused, Basil’s ears twitching. “She’s found out, but admits to th’ crime.” 

“And why, in all means, would she admit to a crime where she herself wouldn’t have a chance in court?” Basil growled. 

“Because, when you’re an older siblin’, you’ll tend to do any’hin’ for yer bairn brother or sister. I’m sure yer brother would understand that .” 

Both students glared at each other before Alexander coughed to get their attention. 

“Everyone else is looking,” he whispered, eyeing the crowd around them, several other nearby mice who were sitting on edge. Fraser let out a feral sounding growl, Basil’s eyes instantly snapping back to the gerbil who glared at the crowd. 

“Git!” he hissed before stalking away from Basil and his friends and pushing other students back to their seats in the nearby table. Alexander let out a breath of relief as Johnathon looked back up over the table. Harold stared after Fraser before turning his attention back to Basil. 

“I think he didn’t want to be on the side of the prosecutor either.”

Chapter Text

Alexander banged his head against the table softly to avoid making noise. Basil looked over with a raised eyebrow, trying to read the book that the other mouse had been reading through during their current time in the library. 

“What the devil is that?” he asked, frowning. 

“Chinese fashion. Professor Whiskherald got it into his head to have the class examine jewelry that used to be worn in the Imperial court. The problem is most of the sources are either written in Chinese or if they’re in English, they’re not really of great help.” 

“I’ll assume it’s because of poor translation?” 

“Worst than Professor Ratigan’s glare when McGovel blew up his chemistry set.” 

Basil shook his head before going back to his own studying, ironically enough being for chemistry. 

“I take it going into the family business isn’t exactly your first choice.” He could feel Alexander’s glare over at him as he turned a page. “I wouldn’t worry too much, anyhow. I’m sure your professor will realize his error soon enough.” 

Alexander sighed as he went back to banging his head on the table softly. Basil leaned against his hand as he kept on reading, barely noticing the footsteps behind him due to the other’s frustration. Feeling someone lean over next to him, Basil looked up to see Harold with his ears perked up at Alexander’s textbook. 

“Huh, I did not know that.” 

“Know what?” Alexander asked as he lifted his head up. 

“That Qing dynasty women of the emperor’s harem used black-silk-thread frame wound on paperboard or iron wire for their jewelry designs.” Both of the brown-furred mice stared at the spotted one, their jaws dropped open. Harold looked at both of them, blinking as his own face twisted in confusion. “What?” 

“You can read Chinese?” Basil asked, taking this information in. 

“Well, yes? I can also speak it.” Harold started, looking back and forth between him and Alexander. “My father hires a lot of Chinese servants, you know, with some people thinking it a rather intriguing fashion, and some have a harder time learning English. It’s a lot easier for them to do their chores when they can understand what you’re saying or writing to them.” 

He was still greeted with shocked and surprised expressions from his friends. 

“Harold, if it wasn’t against the law, I would marry you,” Alexander said. 

“Wow, and you ask if I think before saying things.” 

“Can you teach us?” Basil asked, setting his book down and leaning over. “Couldn’t hurt to know how to read and speak it in the future.” 

“Clearly,” Alexander agreed as he gestured to his book. “I mean, even if it’s just to read this one book, I will gladly put up with learning from you in order to know what I’m reading.” 

Harold’s ears perk up, a smile starting to form before Alexander finished his line, instantly a frown on his face replacing it instead. He huffed and moved the book around to properly read it briefly before looking back at the other two. 

“Alright, fine, in the meantime, I could translate this for you if you need it in a hurry, Al.” 

“Again, if it wasn’t against the law, I’d marry you.” 

“He’d reject you, he’s solely a ladies man,” Basil pointed out, smirking as Harold nodded.

Chapter Text

“I mean… Basil is rather nice to look at…” Johnathon admitted quietly, Basil feeling the smaller mouse’s gaze upon him as he rubbed his forehead in a poor attempt to try and focus on his homework. 

“It’s the hair, isn’t it?” Harold chuckled before turning a bit serious. “You sure you should be saying any of this?” 

“I mean, as long as it doesn’t leave this room, we should be fine, right?” Alexander pointed out. The four were having a ‘study night’ together in Harold’s and Johnathon’s room, though it seemed only Basil seemed to be determined to do any actual studying. 

“Well, you all already know my tastes. I’m straighter than a professor’s new ruler. And honestly, if the rest of you don’t want the ladies, I’m all the merrier,” Harold laughed, leaning back against his bed. 

“I like ladies,” both Basil and Johnathon piped up, following with the two, plus Harold, looking over to Alexander. The remaining mouse in question merely raised a brow before giving a rude hand gesture towards them. 

“As straight as Johnathon.” 

Harold fell back onto his bed laughing as Johnathon, in turn, gave the amber-eyed male a dirty look. 

“Alright, alright, I see,” the green-eyed spotted mouse went on to say, kicking a leg up onto his nearby chest of belongings. “So I’m the only straight one here.” Basil glared over, his face scrunching up. 

“Excuse me?” 

“What, Basil?” 

“I do not like gentlemen in that way, Harold.” 

“Frederick Knox,” Alexander immediately pointed out. 

“Case study! Knox is an interesting case study!” came the law student’s answer. The other three all looked to each other with seemingly knowing looks for a few minutes of silence. Johnathon rolled his eyes as Alexander sighed, resting his head on his knees. Harold during this was physically shaking his head. “What!?” Basil snapped, slamming his fist on the desk.

“You’ll figure it out at your own pace, you poor boy,” Alexander muttered, sighing once more. He barely made any reaction to Basil’s cold gaze upon him, the latter’s eye twitching slightly. 

“Well, what about you and Fraser Knox!?” Basil accused, pointing a finger. Alexander blinked as he raised his head, his ears lowering as his fur seemed to turn a few shades darker. Johnathon and Harold both turned their attention to the jewelry heir. 

“What about Fraser Knox and I? We’re roommates.” 

“A roommate you’ve been trying to ‘make up to’ ever since the three of you accidentally caused his brother to suffer an allergic reaction!” 

“That’s normal to do, Basil!” 

“With gifts containing jewelry, flowers, handkerchiefs, gloves, and so on?! You’ve been essentially trying to court him these past weeks!” Basil went on to point out. Alexander grabbed a pillow from Johnathon’s bed and tried to hide his face, muffling frustrated sounds. 

Harold let out a low whistle, looking away from his friends as Johnathon continued to stare. 

“Has it worked?” the dark-eyed mouse asked, leaning forward just slightly. The only answer any of them were given was the muffled cry of defeat from Alexander. “Ah… well… I mean… it was his brother.” 

“That’s not helping, Johnny boy,” Basil pointed out. 

“Well, I don’t see you making any of this better!” he pointed right back. 

“Alright, Johnathon,” Harold interrupted, waving a hand wildly to get everyone’s attention. “Aside from Basil here, who else on campus has caught your attention?” The mouse in turn glared before putting on a brave face. 

“I suppose Potter is rather charming.” Even Alexander looked over to stare at Johnathon. The shortest of the four blinked at the stares he was being given, frowning. “Parlow’s adorable as well.” The stares still persisted. “... And I suppose Robbins is rather-” 

“Johnathon, is Basil the only one with good taste that you’ve managed to find appealing?” Alexander asked, ignoring the sharp jab from Harold’s elbow. 

“Should I be flattered by that or insulted?” Basil asked, barely glancing towards his look-a-like. 

“Neither.” 

“How?”

“Just because my tastes aren’t the same as yours doesn’t mean they aren’t good!” Johnathon huffed as he crossed his arms across his chest. 

“Parlow though?” 

“It’s not like I’m making it known to everyone !” he hissed towards Alexander, the dull brown mouse finally flinching. “Just keeping those thoughts here in this room! Harold can at least go about his day feeling comfortable that his secrets are just sneaking out to spend time with the village girls!”

A silence hung in the air as the words seem to sober the four up to their whole situation. Harold gripped his own arms tensely as Johnathon’s words sunk in, Basil turning away to try and focus back to his studying, hunching over the desk. Alexander looked away, his face partially hidden in the pillow he still gripped before Johnathon snatched it away, throwing it back onto his bed and hiding his own face in it. 

Basil looked over his shoulder back at the three he called his friends, frowning before sighing and rubbing his own shoulders. 

“I’m sorry,” he heard Johnathon muttered, his voice small sounding. 

“Why?” he found himself saying, almost caught off guard by the hollowness in his own voice. “It’s true. Who’s the say there aren’t others on campus who also realize it too? We’re just lucky that we do hold some attraction to the opposite gender. How many are hiding that they solely find other males to their liking?” 

The silence returned, both Harold and Alexander shifting in their places as Johnathon remained trying to bury himself in his pillow. 

“What about you, Basil?” Harold managed out, keeping his gaze down. “If you’re not crushing on Frederick Knox, then what do you find attractive enough in someone that’d get your attention?”

Basil thought for a moment, keeping his face turned away from the others before answering. “I suppose the mind. Try and see if her mind intrigues me or not.” 

“Case study once more…” Alexander muttered behind the law student’s back. Jonathan managed out a small laugh, lifting his head slightly to look back at the others. Harold bit his lower lip before staring up at the ceiling. 

“I don’t like I like any of the village girls, in particular, to be honest. I just like being around them, keeping near them for the company and looking at them,” he admitted, letting out a small sigh. 

“Everything stays in this room…” he added in almost a whisper, looking over at the others nodding. Basil sighed as he nodded, frowning as his mind wondered.

Chapter Text

“Basil!” 

Basil looked up from his homework, ears perked up as he watched Johnathon and Alexander dragging along another student behind them. The student in question he knew already was Seth Parlow, easily recognizable by the mouse’s pale, almost white fur and bright blue eyes. 

“Basil, we need your marvelous skills, good man!” Alexander said, slamming his hands on the table, forcing Basil to stumble to catch the inkpot before the ink could fall on top of his work. 

“Are you trying to ruin my work, Alexander!?” 

“Parlow here is missing his family ring!” Johnathon piped up, taking the moment to help organize the books and papers Basil had in front of himself. 

“If I recall correctly, Parlow, this ring had your family crest with your initials on it upon a blue setting, am I correct?” Basil asked, rubbing the top of his head as he mentally cursed the other two mice with them. 

“Ye- yes, it did. I thought I had just left it behind by accident in Professor Ratigan’s classroom, but whe-when I went to check, it wasn’t there and he said he hadn’t seen it!” The pale mouse shook where he stood, gripping a hat within his shaking hands. “Ratburn, please you have to help find this ring!” 

“Oh of course I’ll help! Alexander just doesn’t appreciate timing here. Now, oh um, thank you Johnathon…” Basil got up, taking his books and papers from Johnathon with a rather awkward smile before looking back at Seth. “Let me get these back to my room and I’ll meet you by Professor Ratigan’s classroom in, say… thirty minutes.” 

“Bu-but that would be after all classes today an-and the professor keeps his classroom door locked aside from the cleaning staff,” Parlow pointed out, looking even paler. 

“Who says we need a key?” Alexander grinned, instantly earning a panicked look from Johnathon. “I’ll get Harold, he can lockpick like a thief!” 

The other three mice all looked at each other with worrying expressions before Johnathon and Seth went with Alexander in hopes of trying to persuade him of a different way while Basil went back to his dorm room. 

Upon arriving, the tan mouse placed his work on the desk beside his bed and sighed. “Bloody Alexander...” 

“Jewel laddie pullin’ another prank?” 

Basil turned his head towards to see Frederick laying down on his bed with his hands behind his back. He gave a scowl and looked away before heading back out. “No, as it turns out, we’re in need of access into Professor Ratigan’s room. Riverfield just doesn’t think through on his plans.” 

“Let me guess, he’s going ‘o use Benne’.”  It wasn’t a question from the gerbil, but a deadpan statement as he sat up.

“It’d be nice if he didn’t go telling everyone that Bennett can pick locks,” Basil said before leaving their room without even saying goodbye. His ears flicked as he heard the door close behind him and Frederick’s light footsteps followed him, close enough that the roommate was clearly just tagging along but far enough that it still unnerved the mouse. 

Professor Ratigan’s room was still locked by the time they both got there to see Harold trying to pick the door’s lock with Johnathon looking around the nearest corner nervously and Alexander looking like a child in a toy factory. Besides Alexander was a very scared Parlow and keeping an eye on down the other end of the hall was Fraser Knox. 

“Awright Ricky,” the older Knox said, nodding his head at the less pale brother. “We git ‘ere around ‘en minutes ago. I think Parlow here is about ‘o pass out, the wabbit laddie.” 

“Stop talking and keep watch, I nearly got this- Son of a cat!” Harold hissed as the lock pick broke. He took the remains out and placed them in a small box where a few other broken lock picks could be seen. “Why the bloody hell does a mathematics professor need such a tough lock on a classroom door? It’s not as if Professor Ratigan leaves his papers in the room,” he hissed. 

“Come on, can’t you do this any faster?” Johnathon whispered, his short legs shaking as he peered around the corner again. Frederick cleared his throat, trying to get the others attention. 

“Haven’t ye-” 

“Not now fur-tail, Harold’s close,” Alexander hushed, still excited at the prospect of still breaking into the classroom. “I always wanted to know why the professor kept this room so locked up.” 

“If ye just listen to-”

“Shush, you only tagged along for this,” Basil let out as he moved to be beside Harold to watch the other mouse pick at the lock with a keen eye. 

“Drat! That was my last pick!” Harold hissed. 

“Laddies, I have th’ key.” 

All of the mice and Fraser all looked at Frederick, who held a small key up with a deadpan expression. Silence settled between all of them before Alexander pouted and took the key. 

“Thanks for taking all the fun out of this, Knox,” he growled before the door opened up. 

“... Knox, why did you have the key to Professor Ratigan’s-” Johnathon’s question was interrupted as both of the Knoxs pushed past him and Basil, leaving them and Parlow to follow them into the classroom. 

“Why are we looking here if Parlow didn’t even find his ring the first time searching this place and the professor didn’t see it at any point?” Alexander asked, still pouting earning an eye roll from the gerbils. Basil was about to respond, but paused briefly, his ears twitching as his green eyes darted around for a bit. He quickly looked to the desks of the room, looking around near the floor. 

“Consider it a hunch, Alexander,” he said, his tail whipping back and forth. 

“Is this it?” came Harold’s voice, the black and white mouse kneeling on the ground and picking up something. Parlow went over and Harold carefully stood up, his eyes sparkling as he quickly snatched the ring. 

“Yes! Thank you all so much! I suppose I must have missed it when I was looking here the first time! Oh thank you lot, you just saved me from a fate worse than death!” With that Parlow ran out of the room, the rest of the students leaving the room quickly. 

“Hold yer horses, Riverfield, th’ key,” Fraser pointed out as Johnathon quickly closed the door. Alexander looked confused briefly for a moment before remembering about the key from earlier, nodding, and locking the classroom back up. Holding the key back up, the dull tan mouse looked confused at the others. 

“What do we do about this?” he asked before Fraser snatched it from him and slid it under the classroom door. 

“Now none o’ us have it and if an’body gets suspicious, th’y can’t search us for it,” he said, giving a quick enough glance to all of them that Basil almost missed it. 

“Tell us how about the professor’s reaction to finding his key inside the classroom tomorrow,” Harold grinned, chuckling a little bit before the group began their way towards the dining hall, with the exception of Basil, who grabbed Frederick’s wrist. The taller boy looked back at him, raising a brow before noticing the glare he was being given. 

“Knox and I will meet up with you all,” Basil said before dragging the brunette away, earning perplexed looks from the rest of the group, sans Fraser whose shoulders tensed up. Basil led the other rodent around the corner and down an empty hallway that had less lighting. Stopping briefly, he turned around, anger in his eyes as he bared his teeth. 

“That had to be one of the most ridiculous plans you ever had, Knox,” he growled. Frederick stared at him, rubbing his wrist for a moment before crossing his arms, giving a sharp ‘tsk.’ Basil continued, “What in the world made you think you could take Parlow’s ring and then just kick it under one of the tables when we were all in there?” 

“It spoiled Riverfield’s enjoymen’ of bein’ part o’ some muckle case, didn’t it?”  Frederick growled back. 

“THAT was what that was all about?!” 

“Bennett’s frustration wi’ Professor Ratigan’s lock ‘nd havin’ ye waste yer time was also a' crakin' revenge.”

“Revenge?! This is about the prank from before and you figured stealing another student’s ring was revenge?!”

“What are ye going to do, Basil? Harold was lockpickin’ th’ door and found th’ ring, an’body else hears that, they’re going to suspect him, not to mention ye were th’ only one who heard me kickin’ th’ ring in th’ room, ‘nd Fraser wouldn’t dare ge’ me in trouble. After all, him and Alexander both held th’ key,” Frederick held a hand up, showing the dark gloves he wore. “And neither of them had gloves. ‘nd ye pure shouldn’t accuse someone alone.” Frederick turned around to leave Basil behind, only for the short rodent to grab him again, this time grabbing Frederick’s shoulder to spin him around. The action caused the gerbil to crash into the other, causing the two, in turn, to crash onto the ground. 

Basil hissed as he moved to push Frederick off of him before freezing up as his hand made contact. He looked at him with wide eyes before narrowing them. Frederick’s expression was filled with several expressions flashing through his eyes before it settled on anger and the gerbil moved to get up. Basil moved to place his hands on the ground to push himself up, only to be sent back onto the ground as Frederick punched the mouse in the face. 

“See that,” Frederick growled as he clenched his fist tighter. “As both a warnin’ an’ as better revenge fer goin’ through me stuff..” With that said, the gerbil walked away as Basil groaned, holding a hand up to the side of his face as he moved to get himself up again.

Chapter Text

“You have a brother, right Basil?” 

The mouse looked up at Harold with a raised brow. The black and white tall lanky mouse seemed very focused on him, waiting for his answer as if his life depended on it. 

“... Yes. I have an older brother named Arthur. He’s a lawyer for Scotland Yard.” 

Harold nodded as he kept staring at Basil. 

“... What? I’m assuming you want to hear more?” 

“Yes. What’s he like? What does he look like? That sort of thing.” 

Basil blinked, taken quite aback by the seriousness in his friend’s tone. He placed the book he’d been looking through for his studies to the side and leaning on the table. He met Harold’s green eyes, his own brows furrowed as he tried to understand what on earth could have brought this conversation up. 

“Well, his fur’s lighter than mine, but he looked quite a bit like me, I suppose, if rounder. He also wears these golden glasses for some odd reason, heavens only knows. He’s… proper. Strict. Law-abiding, that sort of thing. We’re not entirely on the best terms, but we manage to be pleasant when it’s all that can be called for,” he answered. “What’s bringing all this on?”

“What’s bringing all what on?” 

Both of them looked up to see Alexander taking a seat next to Harold, the former’s ears perked up. 

“Johnathon’s gotten himself in trouble with Brewgrain, so we’ll likely not see him for a while,” he explained further before returning to the matter at hand. “Now, what are you two going on about?” 

“I was asking Basil about his brother… speaking of which, what about you, Alexander? Do you have any siblings?” 

The dull brown mouse pulled a face and groaned. 

“Yeah, I got a younger sister. Name’s Helena. Though she’s no shining light, I’ll tell you that.” 

Harold adjusted his focus entirely on Alexander now, leaving Basil to watch his reaction carefully. 

“And? Does she look much like you?” 

Alexander gave a dark laugh. “Like hell. I mean, I suppose our fur might look close enough, but Helena’s a redhead like my mother and has our dad’s blue eyes and dumbo ears. And she’s plump. Not like, pear plump, but she’s no skinny bean pole either.” 

“Don’t get along much?” Basil raised a brow, still keeping his eye on Harold’s expression of slight dismay. 

“She’s a brat,” Alexander spat before shaking his head. “Anyway, what brought this all up?” 

Harold was quiet for a moment, biting his lower lip before looking down at the table’s surface. Basil’s eyes narrowed as the other seems to find a speck of dust suddenly very interesting before he spoke. 

“My dad’s getting married to a widower and she’s got a kid of her own.” 

Both Basil and Alexander glanced at each other. Ah.

“Honestly, Harold, we’re not the ones to ask in that case,” Basil pointed out as they turned back to Harold. 

“... What? Why not?” 

“Listen, don’t get us wrong, if you’re asking about what’s normal to expect and already asking as if your step-sibling to be is like a blood relative, that’s not bad,” Alexander held a hand up as if in defense of himself. “But it sounds like you should be asking the Knox brothers. I mean… I don’t know if Frederick’s said anything to Basil, but Fraser’s mentioned once or twitch his step-sister or step-brothers and from the sound of it, two of them were more recent.” 

As Alexander explained further, Basil watched as Harold slumped down in deep thought, his green eyes looking far away and unfocused. Soon Harold began to nodded and stood up, knocking his chair back. 

“Right. I’ll see you lot later, right?” 

Both Basil and Alexander watched as the third party member left to find the gerbils before turning to each other. 

“Did Frederick ever talk about his step-siblings?” 

“I think once, back when we first arrived,” Basil admitted as he thought for a moment. “Mentioned the sister had been recently married and one of the step-brothers didn’t get along with anyone in the family. Never referred to them as step-siblings though.” 

Alexander gave a short nod as he listened. He eyed the door to the hallway for a moment before glance back. 

“He’ll be fine.” 

“Oh certainly,” Basil chuckled, picking his book right back up.

Chapter Text

“I’m not that shorter than you all! If anything, Harold’s the one that’s freakishly tall!” 

Basil was facepalming as Alexander was stifling his laughter. Harold leaned back in his chair with his feet on the table between them, pouting. 

“I am not ‘freakishly’ tall,” the black and white mouse muttered. 

“No, but you are rather on the tall end of the height scale for a mouse,” Basil pointed out as he set to opening his book for the next day’s homework. “You’re what, ten centimeters?” 

“I come from a tall family, it’s hardly my fault that Johnathon here comes from a family that has him on the shorter end,” Harold fired back. Johnathon grumbled as he knocked Harold’s feet off the table. 

“I’m barely seven centimeters!” 

“So? That’s barely shorter than… how tall are either of you two?” Harold asked towards Alexander and Basil. 

“Seven and a half.” 

“Seven point four centimeters.” 

Basil looked up upon him and Alexander having answered at the same time, noticing Harold and Johnathon staring at them. 

“Of course you two are almost the same height,” Jonathan grumbled as he placed his head in his hands. 

“How do you two manage to look so much like each other and yet have the bare minimum like eye color, just barely different brown fur, and now just one-millimeter difference in height?” Harold slapped a hand to his forehead as he asked. 

Both Basil and Alexander could merely shrug in response. Neither were even remotely to each other, leaving it all up to be assumed to chance. It was just one of those coincidences that truly was just that.

Chapter Text

Not for the first time that day, Basil and several other students had to look over their shoulders with tense shoulders, trying to find whatever horrifying feline was prowling the university’s halls. 

Basil in particular nearly had dropped his homework upon first hearing the noise as he had been walking beside Fredrick Knox. Alexander nearly accidentally smashed a chemistry set. Harold had backed into one of the library’s bookshelves and caused the entire thing to dump its contents onto the lanky black and white mouse and poor nearby Johnathon. 

And now as they resided in another of Professor Ratigan’s classes to try and work on mathematics, everyone seemed to be on edge as the sound echoed throughout the room. 

“Wherever that darn cat is, I hope it’s taken care of soon. I don’t think I can bear any more of this,” Alexander muttered as his hands shook. Basil’s gaze went from his doppelganger to the professor. 

There behind the desk, Ratigan seemed completely oblivious to the sound. The taller rodent was simply looking through the papers at his desk, lazily going about grading them. As the sound of the feline continued on and on, the professor never once looked up where several of the students around the classroom did. 

‘How is he so calm?’ Basil thought, turning his eyes down to his paper as he scratched his quill along the mathematic problems. Hearing a shuffle of papers, Basil looked up to watch Frederick walk up to the professor and hand over his own papers. 

“He was able to focus on that while that thing’s around?” Alexander whispered. 

Ratigan looked over the papers before placing them with the others on his desk. “Well done, Mr. Knox.” 

Basil’s ears pulled back at the sound of an inkwell spilling after the noise seemed to increase in volume. Finally, Ratigan seemed to realize the effect the feline-like sound had on everyone before raising a brow to Frederick, who remained standing by his desk. 

“Mr. Knox, while I understand you’re content with your day so far, might I recommend you to stop your purring?” 

Basil stared with his mouth gaped open as Frederick blushed under his fur. Next to the brown mouse, Alexander mouthed ‘It was Frederick all along?’ Suddenly it occurred to Basil, as he groaned and held his head in his head, exactly the circumstances that brought them there. 

That day, several mice that were studying at the university learned that when gerbils were very content, they can purr.

Chapter Text

At the beginning of the Christmas break, Basil found himself riding in a carriage alongside Harold, Johnathon, and Alexander, this time reading a letter from his father as the four students journeyed to their location. 

‘ Dear Basil, 

It is good to know you have been making quite the colleagues at Oxford. Your mother and I are overjoyed to have read that you’ve made plans with them for the winter holidays so soon after we wrote to you about our plans. 

Happy Holidays,

Father’

He huffed slightly before folding up the letter and putting it back into his jacket to pay attention back to his friends. 

“And so I should give you the warning of how stressful my mother can be,” Alexander went on, rubbing his shoulders. “She’ll be insistent of showing off Helena’s music skill or singing or something similar. Father is no doubt be questioning each of you, probably to see if you’re suitable enough to be my colleagues.” 

Harold gave a pitying look towards the dull tan mouse, biting his lower lip. “Sounds quite controlling… Let’s prank them,” he said right before his face split into a grin. Alexander didn’t share in the other’s mischievous nature. 

“Harold, I believe you’re missing the point,” Basil commented, bundling himself up to try and keep the warmth of his own coat close to him. Johnathon once more was patting Alexander on the shoulder in a pitying manner, his ears lowered in concern. 

----

“Ah, my dear boy!” 

The four students left the carriage as it came to a stop, the small group heading towards the mice off to the side of the human’s main entrance to the mansion to the smaller door for rodents. Among the group was a middle-aged mouse with greying red hair, pale cream red fur, and amber-colored eyes, sitting in her blue-colored outfit within in wheelchair. The wheelchair itself was being pushed by a middle-aged mouse with dark brown fur, his blue eyes framed by his glasses. Next to the couple was a young mouse girl with darker cream fur and long, wavy red hair framing her lapis lazuli blue eyes that matched her blue dress. 

Alexander paused in his step at the sight, blinking. 

“Mother? What happened?” he asked, hurrying over to the older female. 

“Once more the stairs have claimed another, I’m afraid,” Mr. Riverfield responded as Mrs. Riverfield pinched Alexander’s cheek and hugging him. Basil, Harold, and Johnathon all blinked at the woman’s display of affection. Everything they had been told about her seemed to be thrown right out the window. The teenage mouse that stood off to the side laughed at the three’s expression. 

“The doctor’s prescription for Mother has left her a bit… out of character, I’m afraid.” 

“Oh Helena, what are you talking about!” Mrs. Riverfield cried out before laughing and reaching over for the youngest Riverfield family member. “Oh sweetie, come over here and look at how your brother’s grown up!” 

All attention went to Mr. Riverfield, who slowly just nodded and directed everyone else inside as he began to turn his wife around. “Amelia, darling, we should get everyone out of the cold, we’ll have the servants prepare dinner.” 

“Oh, will the cook be making that really excellent cheese roast? She cooed, Alexander noticeably glaring over at Helena as the redhead tried to not snicker. 

“Yes, darling, the cook has been preparing to make that cheese roast you love.” 

----

“What the bloody hell?” Harold finally managed out the moment the boys were all settled into their rooms. The spotted mouse was sitting on the edge of Alexander’s lavish bed, watching the mouse in question put away some of his luggage. 

“From what Mr. Riverfield said and can be assumed, the stairs of the mansion have had a lot of accidents,” Basil voiced, leaning against the wall. 

“Yes, the first flight of stairs tends to cause a large number of accidents. It’s often the servants that are the victims,” Alexander grumbled. “None of them were bad enough to have someone confined to a wheelchair though.” 

“Must be quite a shock for it to have been your mother of all people,” Johnathon commented, his knees pulled up to his chest. 

“I think she’ll be more shocked when she’ll finally be off that medication of hers.” Alexander slammed the drawer to his dresser and flopped down on his bed, sighing. “She loves going around during the season in London for the arts. She’ll be quite depressed when it occurs to her that she’ll be more limited. Well, that or she’ll be more insistent on dragging Helena along with her.” 

---

“Now, now, let me a good look at you three, especially you, Mr. Ratburn.” 

By the time dinner was ready and the boys went back down, Mrs. Riverfield seemed to no longer as affected by the medication, though there still seemed to be a light loopiness to her arm movements. As Basil approached, she gripped the side of her face, turning his head left and right as she examined him. 

“Hmph. Your similarity to Alexander is disturbing.” Alexander tried to hide his own shiver as his mother went on to examine the other two, siting Johnathon as very chubby and Harold as too wild-looking and tall  to be a suitable future gentleman. Johnathon looked down at his pudgy belly, frowning, while Harold instead looked pityingly at Alexander. Basil took more in the fact that the Riverfield matriarch clearly had more to say, and now was preoccupied thinking of what she hadn’t said. 

Dinner was almost as suffocating as she took over the conversations. 

“Now, I’ve noticed Mr. Bennett, you wouldn’t happen to be related to the author, would you?” 

“Um, uh, yes, but not closely.” 

“Oh a pity, I would have thought you could share of some of his entertaining stories, Lord knows it’s easy enough to hear about your own pranks on your fellow students from the professors. Alexander, don’t bite your lower lip, it’s very ungentlemen-like.” 

Harold gripped his fork intensely as Alexander took in a deep breath. Johnathon more picked at his food, his normal appetite gone for the meal. Helena raised her glass to her mouth, trying her best to remain out of the conversation. 

“Amelia, darling,” Mr. Riverfield spoke up from his end of the table. 

“Oh come, come now, both he and Helena are back here at home from their schools and already it seems like they’ve forgotten their manners! And Alexander brings his colleagues along to our home, I might as well make sure they could be suitable for a potential suitor for Helena!” 

Basil instantly began to choke on his food. 

----

“I am so sorry,” Alexander managed out before his face landed into his pillow. 

“We haven’t even been here… for a whole week… and she’s trying to see if we’re suitable for your sister…” Harold trailed off, staring at the ceiling.  “She’s trying to see if we’re worthy of being your brother-in-law. We’re not even out of college.” The spotted mouse seemed to be in a daze while Johnathon looked at himself in the mirror before at his friends. 

“How are you feeling, Basil?” 

“She still was loopy from her medication… I’d hate to know how her normal behavior would be like when it came to announcing her intentions,” the said mouse sighed from his seat.

Chapter Text

“... They’re joking.” 

Basil stared at the paper from his parents blankly while Alexander’s hands were shaking as he paced. They had barely returned from Christmas break, not even a full month when both of the two received letters from their respective families about the decision to have an arranged marriage between Basil and Helena. 

“They have to be.” 

“They’re probably not,” Alexander’s voice shook. “The day my father cracks a joke about this sort of topic, the world might as well end.” 

It was another moment of silence before Basil finally broke, groaning as he covered his face. Alexander sat down, looking at the floor as if it was the most interesting thing in the world at that moment. Harold and Johnathon gave each other glances before the shortest of the four mice tried to pat Basil’s shoulder. 

“Maybe it won’t be difficult? I mean, how awful can Helena be- Alexander, close your mouth” 

“I GREW UP WITH HER!”

“And anything you’re going to say is just going to make this worse,” Harold muttered. 

“Our parents were the ones that decided to matchmake her with my doppelganger!!! 

“See?” 

“Listen, listen, nothing is official until Basil here proposes to Helena and… and…” Jonathan paused, trying to think of some way to ease the current issue. Basil sighed, uncovering his face to look at the letter once more. 

“Is there a set time for this, or?” Harold asked, his voice barely above a whisper. 

“... Spring. The year we’re supposed to graduate, they want this official during spring break,” Basil’s voice was weary sounding. 

“Well, you see, there! You’ll have a bit of time during the holiday breaks to get to know Helena and it might turn out your personalities are a match!”

Alexander slowly turned his head to Johnathon, his expression clearly unamused. The latter bit his lower lip before sighing. 

“Fine, it is kind of off that they decided the guy that looks near identical to the brother of the lady in question was the best match, but Alexander, may I point the other options your parents were looking at were Harold and I? By all means, the fact they were picking from your schoolmates and all, Basil is really the best choice out of all of us,” he pointed out. 

Harold nodded along with the chubby rodent. 

“No offense, Alexander, but I would absolutely cheat on your sister and Johnathon would probably bow down to anything your parents say with no backbone of his own. The worse your sister will probably have with Basil is that he looks like your green-eyed twin and he’s kind of a workaholic and gets mad as hops about anything off around here that needs to be solved and the like,” the black and white mouse added. 

At this point, Basil, Alexander, and Johnathon all were staring at Harold. 

“... You would have affairs while married to my sister?” Alexander gapped. 

“Listen, Helena’s pretty, but I am not into red hair,” Harold held his hands up in defense. 

“Harold, if you ever do get married, I will recall this entire conversation to your bride, at your wedding,” Basil commented. Harold gestured towards him, giving a slight smile as he looked at Alexander. 

“See? Best guy for the job of marrying off your little demon-haired blood sharing siblings to.” 

Silence overtook the room before Alexander stood up. 

“Don’t hold me back, I’m throttling him.” 

“Nononononononono!” Both Basil and Johnathon jumped up and held the golden-eyed male back right as Harold ducked for cover and tried to head out to the hall.

“Alexander, you’ll get expelled!”

Chapter Text

“We’re heading to the museum!” 

Harold, Johnathon, and Alexander all looked startled. Alexander, in particular, lifting his schoolwork to avoid the inkpot Harold knocked over as Basil ran up to their table and slammed his hands on the table the three were at. Before any of them were about to speak, Basil went on. 

“They’re certain they found the coins of the Cornish Lord Ashton, the ones the Highland mice clans of the time believed to have lost during the siege of Ashtown! It’s an amazing part of our history’s relics that have been found, do you understand! So we’re heading there and I can’t wait to hear and learn what else they have found during the excavation! Come on! Put the work aside, and grab your coats! We have a wondrous historical discovery to see!” 

The three remained where they were as Basil rushed out in the middle of putting on his own overcoat. Johnathon opened his mouth before closing it, trying to put together what had just rather been shouted at them.

“You think- Harold began. “You think we should tell him none of us have any idea what he was talking about?” 

“It will break his heart if you do,” Alexander managed out, still staring towards the doorway. 

“I never thought he’d be into archaeology,” Jonathan finally managed to say. 

“No, no, it makes sense,” Harold motioned. “I mean, Basil’s already a rather… stickler concerning finding events out. It makes sense he’d be into finding out information on history… things. Alexander, your family is into the topic of the importance of what seems to be minor things to the rest of us normal rodents, what are these coins Basil was talking about?” 

“Your guess is as good as mine. The best I could ever come close to theorizing is a seal coin,” the amber-eyed male said as he started to try and clean up the mess that had occurred upon Basil first charging in earlier. 

“What like one of those fancy stamps nobles have?” Johnathon asked. “Basil is acting all giddy for that?” 

“You rather he keeps obsessing over whatever little detail goes on with our classmates?” 

“No?”

“Good, shut up, get a coat, we’ll meet him at the museum,” Alexander hissed. “At least we know he has a hobby that’s harmless to others.” 

“It is not my fault that prank went the way it did,” Harold pointed out with an offended expression.

“I still stand by my words. At the very least, considering all things going on in our lives, he could need this. Let’s get going.”

Chapter Text

“This feels wrong,” Johnathon managed to say as the four of them sat down with their drinks. 

“Listen, I checked the rules, technically we are allowed to have time at a pub, they can’t prohibit that,” Harold nudged the stout member of the four. Johnathon took the moment to try and disappear into his seat. Harold rolled his eyes before gesturing over to the bar itself, twisting around in order to do so. 

“Besides, it’s not as if there isn’t some authority here. See, there’s Professor Brewgrain!” 

“I doubt he qualifies as an authority when it’s such a widespread rumor of his alcoholism,” Alexander pointed out. Basil had to lean back in his seat to spot the rat in question. Short with a beer gut, wild-looking whiskers, and pale brown fur, the gym teacher could be seen relaxing against the bar and ordering his own round for him and what appeared to be some friends. 

He was about to add his own commentary to the conversation when the mouse noticed the professor doing a double take and then pale at something on the opposite side of the pub, past the table the students were at. Basil raised a brow, turning his head to see what Brewgrain had spotted. 

“Basil? What’s up with you?” Alexander asked, being the one to turn in his seat to follow the other’s gaze. 

“Brewgrain seemed to have seen something…” Basil muttered, double-checking to make sure he was looking in the right direction, only to find Brewgrain looking both horrified and confused, his gaze now towards his drink yet not focused on it at all.

“Well, whatever it is, at least we don’t have to worry about Brewgrain being the only ‘responsible’ rodent here,” Alexander mentioned as he turned back around. “Looks like Professor Ratigan’s here too.” 

“There is no way someone like him is here,” Harold scoffed. Johnathon peered up from his seat, trying to spot the other professor now. 

“I’ll admit, I would have thought him too fancy for a place like here too, but there he is in the corner.” 

The other three finally spot where Alexander had spotted the chemistry and mathematics professor, in the corner conversing with another rodent in a large overcoat who had their back turned to the rest of the pub. There was no mistaking that it was Ratigan, though the expression he held was certainly not one any of them had seen on his face before. As Basil glanced back to where Brewgrain was, he saw the older rat looking back to wherever he was looking prior. Basil followed the line of sight again, matching up to where Professor Ratigan was. 

“Who is he talking to?” Johnathon piped up. 

Basil took the opportunity to take a drink of his pint, still keeping his gaze on the two rodents in the corner. It was too loud in the pub and the corner too far to make out anything being said between the professor and his conversation partner, but it seemed clear that it was quite a personal conversation if one was to judge by the professor’s expressions alone. The rodent in the large overcoat reached out a hand with a slender wrist, holding onto the rat’s in a gentle manner. Ratigan gave a charming smile in return before raising the hand up to his mouth, planting a kiss on the knuckles. 

Basil’s eyes widen before looking at the others to see them just as surprised. 

“He has a lover?” Harold whispered, almost in awe. 

“And he picks here to meet with her?” Alexander pulled a face. 

“You don’t know her life,” Johnathon hissed. 

“I know enough of the Professor to think it a very odd place for this to be happening!” Alexander hissed back. 

As the two seem to argue, Basil looked back at the scene with focused eyes. He pretended to drink some more of his pint as Ratigan leaned over to whisper something to his conversation partner. The mouse looked more at the other rodent, observing how the overcoat seemed to actually be more suited to fit the professor than the person wearing it. Along with the coat, the mystery lady wore a sailor’s type cap, an odd choice considering the assumption this was in fact a woman in question and how far inland they were. The hat did little to hide a short, choppy haircut with mousy brown coloring. Come to think of it, Basil had only ever seen that hair color so far from-

His thoughts were interrupted as the mass that was Brewgrain walked by. The other professor approached the table, grabbing Ratigan by the shoulder and mumbling something to him before doing a double take at the mystery person. Said person in question just grabbed their own pint, taking a gulp from it. Brewgrain immediately snapped his head to look at Ratigan in horror before dragging the younger professor off to a side room despite the other clearly protesting. 

“Oh,” Basil’s ear twitched as he tuned back into his friends' conversation in time to hear Harold. “Looks like whoever Professor Ratigan’s little darling is, Brewgrain isn’t happy about it.”

“Uh, do we have to call whoever she is his ‘little darling?’” Johnathon asked. “It’s like finding your parents still have a love life, it’s so… odd.” 

“Johnathon, Professor Ratigan’s in his… what mid or late-twenties? Of course, he’s going to be interested in someone,” Harold pointed out. 

“Maybe Brewgrain’s jealous,” Alexander joked, chuckling as he slung an arm over the back of his chair. 

Basil chanced a glance to where the mystery person had been left, only to see the table now empty. 

“I have my doubts on that theory, Alexander,” he concluded. 

“Are you insane, Padraic!? One of our own students!?”

Henrick Brewgrain felt just a tad guilty to see Padraic Ratigan rubbing the shoulder he had gripped, but pushed the feeling down. This was not the time to feel sympathy for the younger rat. Especially when Greenwood was charging him to keep an eye on him. And it was nice to see that he himself still has some physical strength over his favorite former student. 

It was sort of an unsaid acknowledgment at the university that each professor had their own favorite students or ones they got close to at least. It was still also expected to remain unbiased, but as educators, they were still expected to provide somewhat an open ear for any student that came to them about an issue. Some ended up with bonds that lasted after the students graduated. Greenwood certainly fell into that category considering the half-blind rat still wrote to one of them often, Henrick knew. 

And Padraic Ratigan was Henrick’s. Despite the tan and grey patched rat’s focus on sciences, he’d been a rather jovial student even in sports. Not to mention that the gym teacher had a soft spot after noticing how difficult Padraic’s family situation had seemed, both when he was a student and when Padraic had joined the university staff as a professor. Padraic being his favorite had led Henrick to turn a blind eye to the younger educator’s newfound wealth despite their salaries and simply accepted the excuse of him purchasing a few establishments that had been given. It had also led him to turn a blind eye to Padraic’s more… aggressive behaviors that bled through sometimes, behaviors that now had Greenwood breathing down his neck to keep an open eye. 

But this? Henrick couldn’t turn a blind eye to this. 

“You are lucky none of the other professors were here, Padraic. Especially Buckner, he would have had a field day busting your arse!” he pointed out. “What were you thinking!? You’re smarter than this!” 

“Oh come, come, Henrick, we met before-” 

“It doesn’t matter if Frederick Knox and you met for he became a student here, he’s a student now! Cheese and crackers, Padraic, that actually might make it worse if this began before the school year! He’s only what, eighteen?”

“Nineteen since last October, we technically met the New Year before,” Padraic crossed his arms as he clarified. Henrick groaned as he began to pace, running his hands through his pale hair. 

“I don’t care when you met ‘technically’ and the others won’t either!” he said. “Frederick Knox is still a student! Your student, might I add!” 

“You didn’t to be expecting the fact that it was Knox,” was the response. 

“I wasn’t expecting to find out one of our own students is a woman! No wonder why the bloody git never took off those gloves,” Henrick snapped back at him. He sighed, pausing in his pacing. “... What is her actual name?“ He had to know. He had to be sure he was right in knowing what sort of company he had just caught the other in.

“None of your concern, Henrick.” 

“It is very much my concern! Blazes, it’s the university’s concern considering we were lied to! I’ll have to bring it up to them-” 

“You will do no such thing!” 

“And what are you going to do?! Cover for her! It’s bad enough you’re involved with her, blazes she’s probably just using you as an in into the university!” 

“You know full well I had nothing to do with her admittance!” 

Henrick balled his fists up, grinding his teeth as he went back to pacing. Ratigan continued. 

“You keep talking on about the university’s concern, but you seem to forget us having barely avoided the whole poisoning event. Her identity getting out along with that will make it look far worse for the university than any single one of us.” 

Henrick sighed, stopping in his pacing once more. Taking in a deep breath, he glared at Padraic. 

“You’re to stop seeing her then.” 

“I don’t believe I ever actually asked for your opinion, Henrick.”

“I’m dead serious, Padraic. I know the crowd she’s part of. And I’m disappointed that you’re getting involved in that sort. You stop seeing her as anything other than a student, and for your sake, nothing else when she and her brother graduate,” he coldly said, returning Ratigan’s glare. 

“Henrick-” 

“I’ve done enough covering for you, Padraic. I’ll keep quiet for now tonight, but if you get caught again, I will not help you. Whatever you two have, it ends now. You’re still young enough, you can have a good life away from that sort of disgusting underground, away from… from selling your soul to the devil.” Henrick watched Padraic’s expressions carefully. Instead of some sort of sorrow or heartbreak, he was expecting, he was instead met with furious, almost red eyes filled with rage and bared sharp teeth. The pale rat found himself taken aback by clear rage directed at him. 

And just as slowly as it seemed to have grown on Ratigan’s expression, it just as slowly, ever so slowly, appear to fade away. All except those burning, murderous-looking redden eyes.

“Very well then. Have a ‘peaceful’ night, Brewgrain ,” the younger rat growled, pushing past his elder and walking out the room. Henrick flinched as the other slammed the door behind him. 

But it was still nothing to the sight of Padraic Ratigan’s clear burning ire that was now ingrained into his memory now.

Had it been too late to save him?