A/n : Hazzah! I am updating!

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Disclaimer: OBVIOUSLY Not mine

Chapter 2: Sophie is witch!

The man had stopped in front of a shop/house. He unlocked the door and in he went. The fire looked at him and the young boy at the table looked up at him too.

"Hello Calcifer" The blonde man said directed at the fire who had eyes "Hi Markl" He said to the young brunette boy.

Markl looked up again at him and said.

"Hello Master Howl".

"How was your time in Market Chipping" Calcifer the fire asked. He obviously was dropping hints of something but Howl ignored them. Poor Markl didn't even notice them.

"Oh Market chipping is a great place" Howl said breezily. "Have you two had lunch?"

"Yes. Sorry we didn't wait for you Master Howl. We tried but it was late and we were hungry……." Markl trailed off apolitically.

Howl smiled warmly at the child "its okay. Had you finished the work I set for you?" He asked

"Not yet" Markl said his eyes strong in determination "But I WILL get it"

"I know you will. Now run along and go work at it" Howl said taking a seat in a chair in front of Calcifer.

Markl ran off to go and work at the spell determined to get it right.

"What happened Howl?" Calcifer asked. Obviously referring to the same thing he was dropping hints about earlier.

"Nothing" Howl said in a some-what dreamy state of going back in memory.

"Oh come on Howl. What was it?" The demon persisted.

"I met a girl" Howl said still with a dreamy look on his face "I tell you Calcifer. She was different. Something else" Howl sighed contently.

"I know" Calcifer said to the wizard who now had a curious look on his face.

"How do you know? You can't see past the castle" Howl questioned.

"1. Your necklace is gone. You must have given it to her and I know how much you love that necklace.
2. Your hair has gotten messy on the way home and you don't even care.
3. I felt something Howl. Your heart was reacting to this girl"

"Do you think she's the one Cal? The one to save us?" Howl asked his friend.

"I don't know but what I do know is that whatever you felt for those other girls was fake and this. This, My boy is real and you don't even have a heart to experience it." The fire said back.

"Oh Cal it doesn't matter whether I have a heart or not I felt it too. It was so strong" Howl said smiling broadly and with a dreamy look again on his face.

"Just be careful boy. You're the Horrid Howl. You name has been blackened. By you no less. This girl may not know much about you but she can and probably will find out. She'll never return your feelings If she is blinded by rumours and Aunties tales."

Howl now looked fearful "Your right Cal. I have to change. Not enough so she knows it's me but enough for her to not know who I really am. Or more correctly who I am rumoured to be"

Markl came running back in with a massive smile on his face.

"Howl, Howl I did it. It was kind of hard at first because I dint know what it was but when I figured that out I got the whole thing right. I finished the task" Markl handed Howl the finished spell "One hair colour changing spell"

Howl's eyes began to twinkle. He had an idea. "You've done more that finish the spell Markl. You've done so much more"

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Sophie walked around in market chipping after she had left Cesari's. It was nice to see her sister again.

The nervous young girl was having an argument in her head of whether to ask people what they know of Wizard Howl or not. She had many reasons not to and very few to actually ask. Looking down she picked up the gem of the necklace in her fingers. Determined now, she will ask.

Sophie asked around town people who were all older then you but none of them had any solid information.

"Wizard Howl is a very nasty person" Some answered

"He steals and eats young girl's hearts" Many said

"He takes them from pretty girls only" Others said.

"I hear he is very handsome" Bad thing about that was that everyone has a different opinion of handsome.

Of course everyone she asked had asked her one question in return.

"Why do you ask Sophie?"

Sophie of course answered "I'm worried about Lettie. You know how many boys have been after her hand in marriage"

After hearing this everyone nodded and didn't enquire further. Sophie was relieved with that but upset she didn't get any real idea of how to know if it was Howl.

Suddenly she heard giggles from behind her. Sophie cringed 'Not now. Please not now'.

"Oh Sophie" Cried one of the girls

Sophie turned around to face them. There were 5 girls each extravagantly dressed.

"Sophie dear we heard you were asking about Howl" Said a brunette on the side.

Sophie didn't like these girls. Sophie was lowly and they never let her forget it.

"Why were you asking?" Asked a red-haired girl next to the brunette.

"For Lettie" Sophie said lowering her head and her voice.

"Well Sophie. He is very handsome" Said a black haired girl on the other side.

"And dreamy" Said a dark red-haired girl next to the black haired girl.

The middle of the group. The blonde. Had lowered her fan, which she was holding in front of her face. She sneered at Sophie. "Even you would find him attractive."

"Oooh he has pretty natural blonde hair" Said the brunette swooning.

"Margaret be quiet. Sophie Hatter you're questions of the Wizard will raise a few eyebrows" Said the blonde

"Stephanie I was only asking. For Lettie's sake" Sophie said "I have to go now" and with that Sophie ran.

She really disliked those girls.

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Stephanie turned to the girls. "Little Sophie's questions make me want to wonder why she is so curious about Howl"

"Maybe she is a witch and wants to practice with him" Said the black haired girl.

"That's so not true Jess" The red-haired said.

"Katie Jess stop arguing. Kelly I think you should have a say in this" Said Margaret.

"Well I think it's untrue but no-one else know that" Said Kelly the dark red-haired girl.

"Kelly is right. I say tonight we do something very exiting" Stephanie began "Margaret do you remember the shop where you saw silver hair dye?" Margaret nodded "Go buy it. Jess does Sophie have any mirrors in her house?" "No" "Good. Katie you and Jess are to distract Sophie from going home for a little while. Okay?" They nodded. "Good. You and I Kelly are going to have some fun when Margaret gets back. Everyone go"

Everyone went off to their jobs.

"What are we going to so Stephanie?" Asked Kelly

"Well, while you stand guard I pour the dye in Sophie's shampoo. She'll never see because she has no mirrors. Then in the night we will cut her hair."

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Stephanie walked out of the house.

"It's done" Was all she said to Kelly and they left.

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At night all 5 of them were outside Sophie's house. They went in and up to her bedroom. Her hair was in a braid so with one quick snip it became shoulder length.

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In the morning Sophie woke up and went about her life like normal. She went into the town because today was her day off from the shop. Every one was giving her weird looks. Sophie was upset with this. What was wrong with her?

She looked into a mirror shop and gaped at her reflection. She had short silver hair and she didn't notice.

"Oh look. The witch in training looks her part. That's really why she asked about Howl. She wants him to help her learn more." Stephanie's voice rang out.

Everyone in the street stopped and stared.

"Sophie is a witch" Stephanie said with a glare to the poor girl.

Sophie looked around and the town gave her shunning looks.

"Witch" They said.

Sophie panicked and ran. She ran fat and hard. She didn't see where she was going. She didn't care. She just had to go.

Out of breath she sat down in a field somewhere. The view was very pretty.

"Is that my girl?" Asked a male voice behind her. Sophie will never forget that voice.

She turned. It was him. The man from the day before. He had black hair.

"It's you" She said.

"So you recognize me? Even with new hair" He asked

"I could never forget you" She said. Sophie then blushed at her own words.

Howl grinned widely.

"My dear. You hair different too" He commented and Sophie looked at him angrily.

"I hate it" She said

"Well I love it. Looks like starlight. It's beautiful" He said sitting down next to her on the grass.

"In fact. You're beautiful" He said

Sophie blushed crimson.

"You really think so?" She asked in a small voice.

"Yes. I really do"

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END CHAPTER!

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