Magnus blasted a wave of magic at James and the poor boy could only feel the blast go through him. He tried to protest but the words died into his mouth as his head started to spin. He clutched his poor head but he could see the world not only swirling but getting bigger too. Much, much bigger. Everyone was turning into giants, looming above him. And not only the wizard and the three witches. The ceiling rocketed upwards and even the furniture became forbidding and immense! When it stopped, at last, James was eye-level with the shoes and ankles of the magical people around him. Why did they become giants? He tried to tell them that but his voice only came out as a series of squeaks. It only brought out laughs from the sorcerers, laughs that were a bit too loud for the ears of the confused youth. He tried to speak again but frustratingly, unintelligible squeaky sounds replaced his words. He then moved and saw that he was on all fours. With tiny little bald clawed paws for hands. And... Why was his nose so long and twitching like mad? He turned on himself to notice black fur and a long tail that looked like a trailing worm attached to his buttocks. His dawning suspicions were confirmed when Magnus, now a giant of a man, bent down and picked the worm behind him, lifting the poor former human with it. Dangling by a new tail and sensing feelings with new nerves there, James saw from a mirror nearby that he was indeed a rat. A big black rat. Yes, he was not about to seduce any girls, apart from a punk grunge chick that liked pet rats... As a pet, naturally. Wether he wanted to hit on women or not. He squirmed and squeaked angrily and it only brought more mocking laughs from the witches, while the wizard smirked at him.
"Hey! How come he has no package?" said loudly Hilda. "Have you changed him into a female rat? That would be hilarious!"
James stopped at this suggestion. Was that true? Was he now a female rat, doomed to be inseminated by uncontrollable males who would thrust litter upon litter of hairless, pink, bug-eyed baby rats upon him? Would he have to carry baby rats in a womb and let them suckle? The mere idea was just horrendous.
"Why, no. He is merely neutered," calmly said Magnus.
Well, that was better, from the point of view of James. Well, sorta. It wasn't like he was that interested in copulating with female rats. It's just that... Well, those WERE his balls.
James attempted an escape but even as he tried to scratch or bite Magnus (those sharp teeth had to be good for something, right?), Magnus with a wave of his hand made a large cage appear and plonked James there. James rushed to the door but his strength and lack of opposite thumbs meant he had no chance of escaping.
"There. A real pet and a source of hair for our potions," proudly said Magnus. "Be a good rat and you'll get rewards."
Matilda and Hilda laughed while Gilda huffed. The worst was that James had no idea which was better or more disgusting: being hit on by an old hag with magical powers or staying safe as a big rat.
Over time, James became not only a big rat but a fat rat as well. Maybe it was being bored, maybe it was because he was neutered but he ate constantly, whatever was thrown into his cage. Cheese, seeds, crackers, more cheese, biscuits, rodent feed, cookies,... Turning around in the wheel installed in his cage quickly bored him and made him breathless and tired. Hanging from the bars was funnier but it wasn't like had a cable TV in his cage. Napping was good too, expect he had to listen to the mocking and teasing of the witches and their husband. James wondered if he would have to spend his life as a rat, his speech reduced to unintelligible squeaks or if he'd be transformed back to a human at some point. Not only did he lose track of time but he dimly pondered if another tenant would come and be transformed. At least he'd have company. Or maybe someone magical like his stupid owners but much nicer would finally appear. Either way, he wished he wasn't so alone, to the point that even annoying a cat by sticking out his nose at him or rooming with actual mice or other rats sounded fun to consider and to actually happen.