He had only vanished from Sophie's sight yet she had not vanished from his. He stood at the other side of the square under a low hanging balcony. A crowd of reveling soldiers passed before him, singing a juvenile song about careless pranks. Sophie stood frozen in place and staring into the sky. Howl had seen that look many times from people that he encountered. Did that really happen? They might as well ask aloud. Such is the enchanted life of being a darn good wizard. Well, most of the time anyway. Another young girl found Sophie up there. Howl imagined that it was her sister and that she was now in safe company. He walked away with the noisy crowd of singers.

He used his spiritual connection to his good mate Calcifer to summon the castle to move closer to the edge of town. He decided to walk to it this time like a normal human being would. As the sun began to set over the Waste land beyond the city. Howl thought about the happenings of the day. The war parade, the scarf he had bought on the way into town, the games that the children were playing in the streets and of course rescuing the little mouse.

The twilight sky turned a deep blue and the soft warm glow of lights from inside the shops and homes lit his way. There was a round center fountain where many people were still gathered in holiday celebration. An elderly lady sitting on the edge of the fountain caught his eye. She was wearing another one of those charming simple hats. Howl approached her politely.

"Hello, kind madame. May I rest here for a moment?"

"Eh? You might as well. I haven't the strength to make you go away."

"Thank you."

Howl sat and stretched out his long legs. He could feel a light spray coming from the cascading water.

"I must say, you are a fine looking young man to be out here without company. I have been here all afternoon watching the gentlemen court their ladies about town."

"Amusing is it?"

"Yes, very much so." She rocked with laughter.

Howl worried that she might fall into the shallow pool of the fountain.

"Careful madame. Please tell me, where did you find that lovely hat?"

"Ah, this is a gift that is very precious to me. It came from my son, who bought it two months ago at the Hatter's shop on the edge of town."

"What is the shop called?"

"Why literally, the Hatters, that is the family's name. Well, Mr. Hatter has been gone for many years but his wife and the three daughters still manage it well."

"Tell me, why is this gift so precious to you?"

"Don't you even think about offering to buy it. I will not sell it. You see, things have been different for me since this came into my possession. Before, I was not kind, I was bitter and defensive. I would never have permitted you to sit next to me here. I would have whacked you with this stick." She laughed as she held up a roughly hewn cane.

"You're different because of a hat?"

"I am happy and calm. Now I find so many ways to be amused, like for instance. Young dashing men who would chat with a matronly old dame like me."

"This family of Hatters, what do they look like? I want to make sure that I am going to the right place."

"Oh, they are all pretty like Mrs. Hatter. Lettie is the exquisite beauty. Martha is lovely and Sophie is the charming sister. Being the eldest, she will probably inherit the shop soon. She is the talent who makes these fantastic hats after all."

His heart jumped when she made the connection that he was already suspecting somehow.

"Howl, what in the blue blazes was that?"

He could hear his castle bound companion Calcifer speaking in his mind. He dismissed giving any response.

"How can I get to this shop?"

"Well, it will be closed by now, you can try in the morning at...Son what is that old thing you're dragging up the street?"

A middle-aged man approached the fountain with a beat-up looking scarecrow clutched in his hand.

"Is man bothering you, Mother?"

She shook her head.

"I found it at the wood smith's shop, I'm going to take it out to the edge of the Waste in the morning to keep the crows out there instead of in my field.

The old lady laughed. Howl looked horrified at the object.

"You mean you paid for that thing?" she asked.

"The wood smith sold it real cheap, he said that it gave him the creeps and he wanted to get rid of it fast."

This scarecrow was an object of enchantment far more powerful than Sophie's hats. She could not be capable of making its spell. Howl tried to sense its signature from the wizards that he knew about yet it was unfamiliar. It was probably just as well that the thing be left out in the Waste where it could do no harm.

"Madame, now that I know that you are safe with your son, I must be leaving. It was good to visit with you."

"Take care, then lad. I hope you find the right hat maker that you need."

Howl could still hear them talking as he walked away.

"I suppose that he was a good gentleman to stay with you here." The son commented.

"Yes, it is rare when a young man takes the time to be kind to an old lady like myself."