Disclaimer for the Whole Story: Howl's Moving Castle is a captivating story, and its creative origins cannot be traced to me.

Chapter 1 – Today was the Day

Today was the day.

No longer would Sophie Hatter ignore him, distracted by the nearest dust bunny or intruding spider.
No longer would she choose soapy water over tea with him.
No longer would Calcifer get the extra piece of bacon while he, Howl, was left to starve with a measly four pieces.

No. Today was the day.

The day she fell irrevocably and wholly in love with him.

Howl knew it in the deepest regions of his soul. He knew it better and more deeply than he knew every line and shade of his beautiful face.

How could he not?

After all, he had a love spell.

And he had a plan. Today, he and Sophie would drink tea together, just like usual. However, her tea would have a special addition. Just a few drops. Enough to show her. Enough to make her see how truly wonderful he was in every way. Enough to see how he completed her life.

Looking back, Howl realized he should have known better. He should have seen. He should have, much as he hated to admit it, listened to Calcifer. But he didn't. And as a result, those few drops of the love spell changed his life in a way he did not foresee.

A/N: The chapters are short and move quickly in this fun, quirky tale. Howl does have his heart back in this tale, but old habits die hard. Keep reading - the real story begins in the next chapter.