Before she can react, the Witch flies towards Sophie and flows over her like a windswept fabric, covering her in dark magic. Growing angry, Sophie once again asks the woman to leave but is reprimanded for standing up to the Witch of the Wastes. Sophie tells her the shop is closed but the woman ignores her and insults the shop, calling it tacky. Sophie arrives back at the hat shop and locks the door behind her but, as she's putting her hat away, a large and elegant woman enters through the door. Lettie tells Sophie that she should live her own life before Sophie leaves.

Lettie asks if Sophie will spend the rest of her life in the hat shop, but Sophie reminds her that the store was important to their father. Lettie resigns to this statement and warns Sophie to be careful, regardless, and that even the Witch of the Wastes (English: Lauren Bacall Japanese: Akihiro Miwa) is on the move. Melancholy, Sophie notes that Howl only preys upon 'pretty' girls. Lettie advises her on the dangers of trusting wizards and that, if it had been Howl, he would have surely stolen her heart. Sophie recalls the experience as if it was a dream and later explains to Lettie that the man must have been a wizard. She rushes upstairs to tell Sophie that she was seen floating onto the balcony with a strange man. Downstairs, Sophie's sister, Lettie ( Jena Malone), is told of her arrival. He tells her he will draw off their pursuers and that she should wait a bit before going outside again, and then leaves. They step through the air together and the man sets Sophie down on the balcony of her sister's bakery. As they hover above the rooftops, he instructs her to start walking. The mysterious man apologizes for getting Sophie involved and, as the shadows are about to merge on them, puts his arm around her waist before leaping high into the air. As they walk down the alley, a number of globular shadows appear out of the walls and begin to rush towards them. He then offers to escort Sophie wherever she needs to go and tells her not to be alarmed, but he's being followed. With a quick gesture, he forces the soldiers into a straight stance and sends them marching down the alley.

She then backs up into a handsome young man who drapes his arm around her, claiming to have been looking for her. Sophie explains that her sister is waiting for her, but the soldiers refuse to let her leave. As she appears to look for a particular address, she bumps into a couple of soldiers who begin to flirt with her. She takes a trolley downtown and decides to cut through an alleyway since a parade of soldiers is moving down the main street. Sophie finishes her hat and exits the store alone. The girls joke about whether they will be preyed upon as they leave.

The so-called 'castle', as the girls call it, belongs to a reclusive wizard named Howl (English: Christian Bale Japanese: Takuya Kimura) who is reputed to steal the hearts of beautiful young women. Sophie looks and sees the metallic object vanishing in the far off hills. Some of her coworkers chatter excitedly and point outside. Her boss enters and tells her the store is closing before inviting her out. In a nearby city, young Sophie (English: Emily Mortimer Japanese: Chieko BaishГґ) sits at her window sewing adornments on a hat.

Over a quaint area of land, shrouded by fog, a lone herder guides his sheep to pasture as a gigantic, metallic structure moves on four spindly legs into the highlands where the cloud cover quickly consumes it.

The synopsis below may give away important plot points.

Howls moving castle gifs