Shooting Stars (Howl x fem! Reader)

Chapter 3

I woke up to the sound of someone banging on the front door. I shot up from the filthy couch I had slept on to find a young boy with bright red hair run down the stairs, but he stopped seeing me and Sophie, who was still asleep.

"Calcifer, who are these two?" He asked, eyeing us both. "How did they get in here?"

"Porthaven door." Calcifer said, ignoring his question.

The boy pulled on a blue cloak and pulled the hood up, making himself look old.

"Standby." He said in a deep voice, heading down stairs and turning some kind of dile to the color blue.

The door opened revealing a nice-looking town and definitely not the Wastes.

"Mr. Mayor! Good day."

"Good day." The Mayor replied. "Would the great wizard, Jenkins be at home?"

"I'm afraid my master is out at the moment." The boy replied. "I speak for him in his absence."

"An invitation from His Majesty, the King." The Mayor said, handing him a note. "The time for war is upon us!"

War? I thought. Why are we having a war? What happened?

A voice interrupted my thoughts.

"What do you think you're doing here, lady?" The boy in the old man disguise asked.

"Calcifer said me and my sis- grandmother could stay here." I replied, throwing more logs onto Calcifer. I had decided to make Sophie my grandmother for the time being so it won't confuse the boy.

"I did not! These two just wondered in from the Wastes!" Calcifer interjected.

"They're from the Wastes?" The boy asked. "How do we know they're not witches?"

"Do you think I'd let a witch in here?" Calcifer responded. "Let alone two?"

There was a knock at the door again. "Porthaven door again."

"Must be a customer. Stand by." The boy said, putting on his disguise.

He opened the door to reveal a small girl of about his age, maybe just a bit younger.

"Yes, dear child?" He asked.

"My mom sent me to pick up a spell." She replied.

"Ah yes, do come in."

"Ok."

I got up and walked over to the window and found we were definitely not in the wastes, but in a beautiful costal town.

"Excuse me? Are you a witch too?"

I turned around and found the girl looking at me curiously.

"Oh yes, I'm the witch that makes rats sing!" I replied, making her laugh.

"Dust your ship with this powder and the winds will favor it." The boy said, handing her a bag.

"Thank you." She replied, heading towards the door.

"Farewell, child." The boy said, then turned to me. "Quit telling lies to our customers!"

"What about you? You're wearing a disguise!" I said, crossing my arms and raising an eyebrow.

"I have to! I'm practicing my magic." He replied, taking off the hood and revealing his younger self.

There was yet another knock on the door.

"It's the Kingsbury door!" Calcifer called.

"Stand by." The boy said, putting on his disguise yet again.