"Now then, where oh where could that brother of Amelia's be?" Howl murmured as he looked down at his map. This man could be anywhere! Then an idea came to him. The Tracking Stones! If the correct spell was placed on them, they'd get as close as half a mile.

"Ugh, Howl, I don't understand this spell..." Michael groaned in frustration. He entered the main room and saw Howl's growing impatience. "Uh, is this a bad time?" He added quickly.

"Quite." Howl murmured back, but motioned for his apprentice closer to look at the problem. "You're pronouncing this wrong;" he finally explained. "It's leviosa. Not leviosa." Howl corrected him and Michael nodded in understanding.

"What are you looking for? You haven't used the Tracking Stones for so long..."

"Amelia's brother." Howl replied, and Michael's eyebrows widened is surprise. Something about Amelia she had shared, and he was gone!?

"No joke!?!" Michael let his jaw drop. "I wanna help!!"

"You have your own work." Howl flatly denied, and Michael whined in annoyance.

"But we haven't done anything fun in awhile~" The curly haired teen countered. Howl glared before nodding for Michael to scoot closer. To which he did happily.

"Spiritus saractos, titana galano. Dumble Dora The Explora..." Howl chanted as he rolled the five smooth stones in his hand. "Titana harpana colonus toetalis." With these words, the wizard threw the stones into the air and watched as they hovered over the air above the hand-made map. Howl's eyebrows creased in confusion.

"That's certainly not right." He stood up from his seat. "It says he's in the city. Right next to us, to be precise." Michael scrunched up his nose as he looked down as well. It was true. The Tracking Stones never failed!

"Well then, maybe he's outside." Michael supplied an answer.

"No! That's impossible!" Howl dejected, and tried once again. This time coming up just outside of the Wastelands. "There. See? Just a fluke." Howl tossed on his coat and nodded to Calcifer.

"Let's get this hunk of a castle going!"

"Well, you don't have to be so rude." The flame demon flared out its tongue, but none the less smirked and started his tiring task. The creaking grew loud and in the chaos, Howl swiftly snapped his hand out to stop Amelia Starr's guitar from hitting the wood floor. He gently set it off to the side and hopped the stairs two at a time to step out onto the balcony.

"I wonder what this man will be like.." Howl murmured in curiosity.

And a smile curled onto his lips.

~*~

"Hello? Can someone turn on the lights?" I whined.

"And who are you...?" A raspy voice answered. I can't let this person scare me!

"Amelia Pendragon!" I shouted back, and suddenly the lights surged on REALLY fast and REALLY brightly. Once my eyes adjusted, I stared up at the man Howl had called 'King'. His throne sat up a good five feet above me with gently sloping stairs all the way up.

Did I mention that it was solid gold?

Goddamn masochists.

~*~

"Not here either!" Howl let loose a swear as he threw the map and Tracking Stones onto the ground. Michael watched the meltdown- from a safe distance, of course.

"Well, what now?" The apprentice asked.

"Back to the castle!" Howl commanded, and he obeyed. "We're going to Market Chipping to see if Lottie has any idea. She's always up to date on strange people wandering around." He closed the door once the two were inside and changed the dial to green before throwing open the door.

"Can't we take the Tracking Stone's first idea and go out the-" Michael suggested but he couldn't even finish his sentence before his master was gone.

Click.

Clack.

Howl's shoes made a steady beat with his walking pace as he absently pulled on his patchwork coat. Whispers were passed between people on the road as they pointed at the Heart Stealer. The cross seemed to part like the Red Sea for Howl. He didn't say thank you, nor did they expect him to.

"Here you go sir!" Lottie's hair bounced as she turned to the customer. He took the bread in the bag and leaned closer to her over the tabletop

"I'm free tonight."

"And I'm not. Now get." She shooed the man away as he laughed.

"Lottie," at the voice, she froze.

"Yes Howl?" She turned with a new sly smile on her face. "Are you here to confess your love about Amelia? About time."

"NO! I'm here for information!" He cried out and tried to recompose himself as she laughed. Lottie looked over the man before her again. Something was different..shoes...coat... Lottie's eyes widened and her smile became soft.

"Your hair, it's natural again." Howl combed a hand through his naturally raven hair and sighed heavily.

"Yes. Amelia switched the potions and shampoos around." Lottie couldn't help but giggle. "Back on topic, I need help finding someone."

~*~

"Pendragon? So you are a relative of Wizard Howl?" Mr. Mc Fatty King asked, and of course I nodded my head in response.

"Yes, I come not to give his answer, but to talk with you." I smoothed out my jeans and tried to calm my nerves before staring back up at the king. "I am concerned."

The King chucked deeply and ushered me up the stairs. "What concerns you?" I clutched my umbrella tighter as I climbed the stairs.

"Howl is a child; maybe not physically, but mentally. He's not ready to lead anything! I am his cousin, and have only begun to learn about him."

"Please, keep him neutral in this war. If not for his sake, at least for his family." I waited for his answer, because he stared at me for awhile before giving me a smile.

"I understand. I should not have rushed such a decision on a free spirit such as Howl. Thank you for showing me." I let out all the air that I was holding in as he said those words.

Well, that was surprisingly easy.

I went to leave, because maybe I can hit the market before heading ba-"yet you still have to persuade me not to keep him as my royal Wizard in this battle. He's still fighting; simply not on the frontlines."

What does a girl have to do to get out of a throne room?

~*~

"MERLIN'S BEARD!" Howl exclaimed as he burst the door of an inn open as he stormed out onto the street. A new bruise blossoming on the underside of his jaw. "WHERE IS THIS BOY?!?" He yelled in even more frustration. Never had the wizard experienced something so troublesome.

And this is all for Amelia?!?

Yet he couldn't get the sight of Amelia's face out of his head when she saw the flyer. The hope of her sibling. Howl groaned as he pulled on his hair. He was going to see this task through until the end.

But when would it end?!?

"I followed all of you sources, Lottie, what the hell?" He gritted his teeth at the sentence. It was getting late; no doubt Amelia would be at the castle by now and awaiting the wizard to come home with her brother.

Though the day was not easy one. He first went into enemy territory and was almost filled with Edanian bullets, then trekked to almost every large city with the flyer.
Next was when he ruffed up a man in desperate hope that it was the boy he was looking for. The police caught the ruckus and almost Howl as well.
Finally, he trudged to the nearest inn for a cold drink before a ruffian began to criticize the Wizard.

He didn't last long.

Howl gave up for the day, and decided to shuffle home and face Amelia's sad look. Heaven forgive me. He held his breath as he grabbed the door and swung it open. He was greeted with laughter.

"Danny! Don't tell them that story!" He heard Amelia squeal.

"Aw, but Ams," a new voice cooed, and Howl climbed the steps quickly as he was alarmed. There, at the monogamy table, was three people.

Amelia,

Michael,

And the man assumed to be Danny.

"I told you the Tracking Stones were probably right." Michael shrugged, and he took a sip from his cup. "He was sleeping on the steps."

Danny turned to Howl and sent a grin on his direction. One that was very similar to his sister's.

"Sup. I'm Danny Starr."