*NOTE*

I know that the ball was supposed to be the following weekend blah blah but I found out how to edit ch. 9 :) so now the date has been extended to fit my literary needs.

The symbol Choku Rei is a reiki symbol, and it generally means place the power of the universe here. I have no idea what a second degree pentagram is. I made it up, and if it exists, then la-de-da. :]

But yes, sorry for not updating, I've been in a rather shit of a mood. :D

So make me feel better and REVIEW. I loved loved loved those long ones~ You know who you are.

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DISCLAIMER: ALL MAIN CHARACTERS BELOW TO DIANA WYNNE JONES, AUTHOR OF HOWL'S MOVING CASTLE. The fanfic is based upon the BOOK, NOT the movie.

Howl's Moving Castle: The Aftermath

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Chapter 12: In Which Sophie Makes a Plan

There was nothing in the world that didn't keep the needed escape of slumber from Sophie's bereft mind. For the past three weeks, sleep evaded her, even as she found herself yawning piteously throughout the day. She was thinking then, (for something to think of), of how grateful she was for Mrs. Fairfax's lack of inquiry upon her arrival at her doorstep weeks ago, the sun barely having risen.

After being gently carried to her room by shocked servants, petted, bedded, and fussed over, she knew too soon that she would have to leave. She didn't know when Howl would wake, and read her missive, and she knew as soon as he did he would come looking for her. As soon as the maids left her room, she hurriedly donned her old grey dress, and scribbled a short note to Martha and Lettie. It was a vague excuse, explaining her future absence, and she slipped it under Lettie's door. Back in her room, she retrieved her old walking stick from the corner of her closet, and rubbed the dust off of it tenderly, holding it close to her and letting it absorb her warmth. She hadn't practiced in weeks; only to help along the flowers, and she had yet to master her style. Nevertheless, she felt a peaceful hum respond from her faithful cane. It was her only resource; there was no way to get the seven league boots discretely, and the Fairfax farm was too far for walking. She didn't want anyone to know where she went.

With a few murmured words, it expanded to the length of a staff, and the width of her palm. A few more words and Sophie sat astride like a proper witch, and flew out of her room through the French doors into the pre-dawn air, her head already tucked down away from the winds that whipped at her.

Mrs. Fairfax had looked a bit shocked to see Sophie, drenched from when she flew into a raincloud, standing rather dolefully on the porch with her expanded cane clutched tightly in one hand. She was ushered in with frantic concerns, motherly fussing, and promises of hot tea. Sophie didn't answer her questions, but instead quietly asked her friend if she could stay a while, discretely. There was no escaping the beekeeper's piercing look, but she'd agreed with a sigh, and went off to the kitchen to bring in breakfast, mumbling about the odd ways of the Hatter children.

The next few days were peaceful, but busy. Sophie helped cook and clean around the house, and quietly followed Mrs. Fairfax on her trips to the hives, listening to the lectures of honey's magical potency that Mrs. Fairfax ranted with evident adoration. The bees hummed happy tunes, buzzing around the two women as they checked the hives. And with nothing better to do, Sophie found herself under Mrs. Fairfax's sorcerous tutelage.

And yet, still, sleep evaded her as she lay hidden and away from her problems. All the worries and pain that were dashed aside with lessons and labor during the day crept back at night. Even though she knew she had to think of a plan, she had forbidden herself from thinking about him, even as his face hovered in the periphery. The loss of a friendship and of a love battered against an unstable wall of will that was corroding flake by flake every night. And indeed, the ball was also in two days. She had tried to look excited when she told Mrs. Fairfax and sent her rvsp; and as the date grew closer, but she found herself nearly breaking down every time she found her façade succeeding. An idea had been growing in her mind recently, desperately, one she highly revolted against, but it seemed to be the only option plausible.

And so, that restless night, Sophie sat up in her bed, slipped on her slippers, and tiptoed with a candle to the library. It was against her morals, to bespell herself, especially since she wasn't wise enough to know the future consequences. Edward Atkin would need to be convinced that she had fallen in love with him; Edward Atkin would need to be most thoroughly duped. And Edward Atkin was most definitely not an easy man to dupe, if Calcifer was right. And if Sophie kept breaking down at every thought of betrayal, then all would have been for nothing.

A steady rain fell outside, helping to mask her light tread on the floor boards. She had to pass Mrs. Fairfax's room, and went by with the reward of a loud, rattling snore. Although the house itself was modest, and the rooms small, the library was bespelled to hold an enormous space inside. The looming bookshelves stood ominously, covering every inch of wall space. Not a gigantic collection by Kingsbury standards, but plentiful nonetheless. Thankfully, Mrs. Fairfax had already explained the library's system and organization, and Sophie went to the section that curved to her left. There were shelves near the top that held spell books to confuse the mind, and to provide illusions. Climbing up the ladder with one hand, and holding her flickering candle in the other, she peered at the book spines. Marmary's Simple Spells for Décor; Advanced Spell Casting: Charms and Curses; Paramnesia & Deception: The Extended and Explained version II; Axfurd's Illusionary Spell Collections. And it continued further on for two shelves. After sorting through them twice, she finally took the book on paramnesia, and another very old one about memory, she tucked them under her arm that held the candle, and slowly made her way down. It wasn't long before she found what she was looking for. Making her candle's wax magically grow, so that it wouldn't sputter out, she studied the spell.

Distorting Fact and Fantasy in Memories

This spell will create a permanent illusion in memories, creating a block on the mind that will suppress other memories, while creating or establishing others. For precautionary measures, a clause spell is included to create a temporary relief of the spell, but only with contact or sight of the designated item(s).

Main Spell Instructions

After creating a second degree pentagram, take an ensorcelled edge and make a carving of the Choku Rei above the heart. Let the blood drip onto the pentagram. State the rime of plea and desire, before touching right hand to the carving, and then clapping hands together in form. Kneel in supplication, and await the pentagram's glow. When the light has diminished, the spell is complete.

For a clause, place the item or piece of a person, or a piece of the thing(s) in which will temporary allow respite. Place them upon the top most part of the pentagram, in front of standing position after recitation of the rime of plea and desire.

The carving of the Choku Rei is the anchor of the spell. Its removal can only occur by a healing fire cast by the original caster, and memory recovery will occur over time. The respite will only last when the item(s) are seen or touched and will help in the recovery.

In essence, the spell was very easy to follow, but was vague enough that anything could occur. Sophie bit her lip, and thought about the clause. Of course, she'd want Calcifer to be a part of it, but she also needed Howl as it, because if she acted loopy in front of Howl, if she saw him (which she was very sure she would), then he would be suspicious she was under a spell. And if she acted loopy in front of Howl with Edward, then both would be suspicious she was under a spell. Even alone with Edward, he might be suspicious, and so Edward would have to be part of the spell too. But Edward was the very person she needed to deceive. That would not do at all. Unfortunately, both Calcifer and Howl and Edward were the very three people she was avoiding. However, she would need to cast this spell very soon, and she would see Edward in two days. For Calcifer, she could have him burn a piece of wood, and she could place it on the pentagram. As for Edward, she wouldn't include him. And as for Howl, well, she'd have to get creative. Sighing, she decided that she'd have to make the rime simple, so that it only diminished her feelings for Howl.

With a yawn, she stretched in her chair, and blearily rubbed her eyes. Her candle had just decided to sputter out, and she could hear Mrs. Fairfax stirring. She didn't want to have to explain why she was sitting in the library, with incriminating literature. Hurriedly, she climbed up the ladder, and replaced the books, before slipping back into the hallway. She could, at the very latest, cast the spell right after the ball, if she could find something of Howl's.

A thought passed through her mind. There were so many little pieces of cloth of Howl's blue and silver suit that she cut up, and there were scraps from sewing it back together. She had kept her sewing in her dress pocket back then…

Walking as fast as she could without making noise, she barely made it into her room when she heard Mrs. Fairfax's morning singing. Her grey dress was hanging on the back of a chair, waiting to be cleaned. Sophie didn't think she'd washed it for months, which, in this case, was a very lucky thing. Thankful, she hurried to it, and reached into the pockets. The left was empty but for lint, but the right one had a pair of scissors, and two small triangles of blue and silver. Sophie slumped to the floor with a relieved sigh, and ran a hand through her entangled locks. All she needed was to contact Calcifer, and go to the ball.

The ball.

Sophie realized she had nothing to wear but her shabby grey dress, and glanced wearily through the door, where she knew Mrs. Fairfax was jollily making breakfast. Rubbing her face, she put on a small smile, and made her way to the kitchen. She didn't want to go back to her home, where she would most likely be ambushed. It was time to impose on her hostess once again.