[A/N] I had this amazing idea to make a Harry Potter and Howl's moving Castle cross over! So, here it is!
Warnings: M/M in later chapters. Harry/Howl, Harry's name won't be changed to fit the time line. Completely AU and maybe OOC, Set in the Howl's moving castle world.
NOTE: In the beginning chapters I will be using a bit of dialogue from the movie.
Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter, J.K Rowling does, and I also don't own Howl's Moving Castle, Studio Ghibli and Hayao Miyazaki do.
Chapter 1: You've Angered the Witch!
Harry sighed as he once again received no costumers in his quant little book shop. No one seemed to want to read anymore, they were all too busy gossiping and dressing in the latest fashions. Heck, even a hat shop had more costumers than him! And most of the hats looked absolutely horrid!
His grandfather Dumbledore had left him this shop after he'd set off to war, the poor man still hadn't returned, and Harry doubted he ever would. His father had also been sent out to war and died, and his mother out of grief had killed herself, leaving their only son all alone in the world. He hated the pitiful looks he would get from others when they learned about his 'tragic past.' Honestly he'd gotten over it years ago, life is life and you really can't change that. You can only change your perspective.
If it weren't for his grandfather he wouldn't be alive this very minute. The Potter family would have died out already. Why? Because, to add insult to injury, the King had taken his inheritance in order to fund his war schemes. He'd taken money from nearly every family that wasn't a noble or aristocrat leaving many families without food or homes. Speaking of the war, rumors were circulating about magic and wizards, they were a bit frightening. Who would be able to defend themselves from people who had control over a power much greater than theirs? No one, that's who!
The rumors about the Witch of the Waste were getting more and more absurd each day, as if such a woman even existed! Harry scoffed; it was an old wives tale. Although the rumors about Howl seemed genuinely truthful, and Harry had to admit that he'd seen a monstrous shape in the mist a few days back. But honestly the imagination of some people! Harry scoffed "As if the Witch of the Waste actually existed, I've no doubt that she just be some barmy old woman."
The sound of the train rumbling by shocked Harry out of his musing, he stood and walked towards the shop's entrance intent on locking up for the night. When he was finished he turned back to his desk and began to organize his papers, that is, until he heard the front door jingle. He swiftly turned and saw a rather large woman in a black dress and fur coat walk in and glance around. Great, just what he needed a snobbish woman with no sense of fashion to come hurdling in his shop and take up his precious sleeping time.
In a tight voice he stated "I'm sorry Ma'am but we've closed already."
The woman ignored him and walked further into the shop, her fur hat blocking half of her face and her jewelry seemingly chocking her fat neck. "What a dirty shop, I've never seen such tacky little books."
The woman raised her head and smugly gazed at Harry "And you're by far the tackiest thing here." Harry bristled and stared straight into her heavily makeup coated blue eyes "I will not stand here and be insulted in my own shop! You will leave now before I kick you out myself." He angrily marched past her and gestured towards the door "The door's over here Ma'am, we're closed". He knew he was being rude, but he would not allow someone to insult him in his own shop! Oh the nerve of the woman! Who did she think she was, the queen? Did she really think she could just waltz right in and insult him without any consequences? Was she that daft?
The woman turned her beady eyes towards him and smirked "Standing up to the Witch of the Waste, that's plucky!" Her mouth curled into a gaping grin, and her eyes turned gasped "The Witch of the Waste?" Oh boy, he just had to go and insult the most feared Witch in the land. Him and his big mouth...he always knew it'd be the death of him. Just then two black creatures wearing rather eccentric clothing barged into the shop. Harry recoiled and stepped back, wanting to get as far away from the horrid beasts as he could.
A moaning and somewhat cackling sound came from behind him and Harry turned just in time to have the witch faze right through him as if she were a ghost! Harry held himself in a protective manner and dropped to the floor in pain. Oh no this was it! He was going to die now wasn't he? What had she done? Was he poisoned? Cursed? Would he die a slow and painful death?
Before the Witch left she said "The best part of that spell is that you can't tell anyone about it. That'll teach you to hold your tongue." And the door slammed shut behind her.
When Harry finally stood and wandered towards his mirror he immediately noticed several changes in his body, his hair had become waist length and had become ratty while two horns popped out of his forehead, his eyes were an even more shocking emerald, and from his back sprouted two dark feathery wings, each with the wing span two inches longer than his arms.
"What the hell?"
Harry screamed and clutched his head, that witch had given him a demonic appearance! His now razor sharp nails cut into his scalp, causing thick blood to cascade down his arms. He nearly bit his tongue off when he realized that his canines were razor sharp as well!
"Bloody hell this is just a dream isn't it? Yes that's right...just a dream. I must've dozed off at some point...Perhaps I'm hallucinating." He reassured himself. He stumbled around his shop before finally finding the door that led to his room; he was going to sleep no matter what! And hopefully when he woke, it would all be just a dream. When he woke he found that his body still held the demonic appearance, he ranted and screamed for a good half an hour. He eventually sighed and decided to at least get dressed, he got out of his bed before pulling on his emerald jacket over white his button up shirt-his wings had retracted long ago thankfully-, donning his black boots over his trousers, packing some food, and locking the shop again.
He was going to the Waste! He would find that dastardly witch and demand that she undo that horrid spell of hers! How in God's name was he supposed to live a normal life looking like a demon straight out of hell?
As he descended down the stairs across the train tracks he luckily came by some farmers carting some hay. "Would you mind giving me a ride?" He asked. The farmer smiled and asked "Sure, where are you headed?" Luckily he had thought to put some gloves and a hood on before leaving so that he would just look like a very eccentric man instead of a demon.
Overjoyed at the fact that he wouldn't have to walk as long as he thought Harry replied "Just a bit further north than where you're going." The ride was long, bumpy, and horrible, but it was better than walking the entire way. When he arrived at their farm he found a path heading up into the mountains, he grinned and thanked the farmer for his kindness. "You're crazy if you're doing this young man! There's nothin but witches and wizards out there." The farmer called to his retreating form.
Harry scoffed but thanked the farmer once more. Of course he knew there were dangerous things out there. Only an imbecile would go to the Waste without knowing what they were getting into. What he didn't notice was the farmer whispering harshly to his wife "Didja see his teeth? We've got to tell the constable that there's a demon on the loose."
Harry braved the climb up the mountain but eventually had to rest "Ugh, if only I had a cane or a walking stick, it would make things so much easier." Sure it made him sound old, but his back was practically killing him! He rested his back against a tree and pulled out a canteen of water and a loaf of bread and cheese. He ate sparingly, knowing that this was all he would have for a while. When he was done he relaxed and watched the clouds pass by, he hoped that the Waste wasn't to far from here. His legs were aching and he didn't think he'd make it another couple of hours.
He glanced towards a bush and was surprised to see what seemed like a perfect walking stick jutting out of it! He dashed towards it and began to pull, but the thing just wouldn't seem to budge! He pulled with as much strength as he could muster and out popped a scarecrow!
It stood perfectly on its own and Harry gasped, this was the strangest scarecrow he'd ever seen, It had a turnip for a head-which someone had crudely drawn a face on-and seemed to be wearing a suit, gloves, and top hat. Not to mention the pipe that somehow managed to stay in its 'mouth'.
"How are you standing on your own like that?" He questioned, giving the scarecrow a good look at once again "Your head's a turnip; that's a bit ridiculous don't you think? Be careful next time will you?"
He clutched his jacket closer around himself and began to walk away, what he did not expect was for the scarecrow to follow him! "Go away! Quit following me!" He yelled to the enchanted scarecrow. But as it neared him he saw that it was carrying a cane. "I'm being serious here! You are really starting to creep me out! Oh lord you're going to kill me aren't you? You plan to beat me bloody with that cane you're holding I bet!"
It's hopping stopped for just a moment-as if it were contemplating the sanity of his previous comment- before continuing towards him once more. The scarecrow hopped in front of him and presented the cane. Harry awkwardly took it "Well...um...thank you? If you'd like to do me one more favor you could run off and find me a place to stay."
The scarecrow turned and hopped back down the hill, Harry snickered to himself "That was easier than expected." He didn't want to appear rude or anything but that scarecrow was really disturbing him. At least he got it to leave.
It was night now, and Harry had finally made it to the top of the hill-like mountain. A whirring sound from ahead caught his attention, and he was shocked to see a giant, metal, battleship. "What's a battleship doing here?" he wondered, before continuing on his way. His legs could no longer hold his weight and he collapsed onto the gravel, he sniffed the air and muttered "Someone's got a fire going…" It took a while before it finally clicked "Maybe there's a camp nearby!" He shot up and dashed towards the smell of burning wood and nearly fainted.
There before him stood Howl's Moving Castle! And the scarecrow was hopping right beside it!
