Cool story.
You haven't updated in ages... but do it now!

This is definately one of the best HMC fanfictions I have read. It's a really good story so far. However, I have a couple of points. First of all, in the first chapter, you mentioned that 'Sosban Fach' is a nonsense song. This is not actually true, it's a song about the troubles of a housewife. It may seem like nonsense, but in fact it's not really.

Secondly, you mentioned the American schooling system a few times. I come from Wales, so I can tell you that the Welsh system is completely different.

When you are three you go to Nursery (in Welsh, Meithryn) then at 4, Reception (Derbyn)
Then is Junior School (Ysgol Iau)
Ysgol Iau lasts for six years.
Year one (Blwyddyn Un)
Year two (Blwyddyn Dau)
Year three (Blwyddyn tri)
Year four (Blwyddyn Pedwar)
Year five (Blwyddyn Pump)
And finally Year six (Blwyddyn Chwech)
All these years (plus the Nursery and Reception years) are called Primary School (Ysgol Gynradd)

Then is Comprehensive School (Ysgol Gyfyn)
This spans for four years.
Year seven (Blwyddyn saith)
Year eight (Blwyddyn wyth)
Year nine (Blwyddyn naw)
Year ten (Blwyddyn deg)
and lastly Year eleven (Blwyddyn un ar ddeg.)

That is the whole Welsh mandatory education system. Then you also have collage (coleg) or sixth form (chweched dosbarth) and university (prifysgol)

"Howl’s Mom"

You are American XD

Anyways. Same lecture still stands - they're in Wales. Careful.

Nevertheless! This story goes on my faves.

bb xx K.A.

"He was teased and persecuted mercilessly by the boys in his class at first, but nobody was laughing after the popular girls in the senior classes had started seeking out to befriend a mere Ninth Grader nobody like him."

Ouch... you American?

*checks*

Doesn't say in your profile. Anyways. You have to Britify! Or... Welshen up a bit. Neither word is real (Welshen or Britify) but I think you get the gist.

Erm... ah! I don't know about the system in Wales... I feel horribly inadequate... but chances are it's the same as either the Scottish or English system. So I'll explain them as best I can.

Scottish is easiest to understand. To a Scotswoman! XD You start at four or five, depepending on your age group. The pick-up periods of the year are March 1st to February 28/29th. You have seven years of Primary School - Primary One/P1, Primary Two/P2...Primary Seven/P7.

Then you have up to six years of Secondary (High) School - Secondary One/First Year/S1, Secondary Two/Second Year/S2...Secondary Six/Sixth Year/S6. You can leave when you're sixteen. For some that's fourth year, others that's fifth. If you wanted to leave in fourth year but were too young you can become a Christmas leaver - pretty self-explanatory. You then have the optional sixth year.

And before all this, there's two years of Nursery (Kindergarden) if you want them. I only had one XP

ENGLISH! This might be a bit hazy. As I've said before - I'm growing up in Scotland. Much easier for me to explain :P

Anyway.

This is the most complicated bit to the English system, as far as I'm concerned. The rest is simpler than our Scottish version.

There is a Reception Year. You either start in September or after Christmas, depending on when you were born. The eldest lot - September to December - start right at the beginning of the year. The rest start after Christmas. This is in the year they turn four - the academic year being September 1st to July 31st, opposed to the Scottish March/February version.

This is NOT counted as a Primary School year. Primary School starts in the year you turn five. Year One, Year Two...Year Six. Technically, you only have six years of Primary Education. In reality, you have about six and a half, more for some.

Secondary (High) School. Year Seven, Year Eight...Year Eleven, and Sixth Form (which is two years, not just one).

And I've not JUST realised - but I could have just told you that because Howell's fourteen he'd either be in Third/Fourth Year or Year Ten... SOMEONE calculated his birthdate and it's either 3rd or 4th of February, allowing for leap years. Actually, if you take the date the book was published... it makes it the third.

ANYWAYS! I hadn't JUST realised. But I felt like you deserve a long review. Because the fic's marvelous XD (sp?) lol

bb xx K.A.

"As for this story, Howl kinda still acts a little bit OOC here, I find." People change though, right? Normally the encounter something called 'High School'...

Sorry. Miniature rant done.

"The Welsh //was\\ as foreign to them as China!" Two things could have gone wrong here. It should either be 'Highland' with 'was', or 'Highlands' with 'were'.

"...with an ever-resent blue baseball cap..." Going for "ever-//P\\resent" there, by any chance?

Another thing that could have gone wrong twice - "...gifts as a potential criminal career." Either '...gifts FOR a potential criminal career.' or '...gifts as a potential CAREER CRIMINAL.'

Great line - "It was a bonus that her parents finally found an unwitting interpreter for their daughter’s incomprehensible warble."

Made me giggle. The writing bug abandoned me as quickly as it caught up. So I kept on reading XD

bb xx K.A.

You seem to have a little problem with the tenses;

"...she //has// that mischievous twinkle in her eyes."
"She //has// been itching for the opportunity..."

Both words should have been had. Another itty-bitty thing;

"...compare Morgana unpredictability..."

Morgana's. Missed an apostrophe-ess. Ess rather than s because I felt like it. XP

ANYWAYS! This is really good. So far. But I can't catch up yet - the WRITING BUG has bitten me again.

bb xx K.A.

Sweet stars, you didn't abandon this! I was wondering why you didn't update after I sent you the beta version. ^__^; Once again, a fantabulous chapter! I love how all of your stories are interwoven- it makes for a much richer backdrop! Absolutely wonderful!

Howl is SUCH a perv...

I love this story. You give Howell, Megan and everyone a lot of personality and development instead of just sticking in characters and having them speak, like most fan fiction on the web. Keep writing. I'm looking forward to more.

NO STOP INSULTING THE VIOLIN!

Anyways, I just LOVE Howl in there! And Mumbles.

this wonderful!
I love your writing.
one of the best I've ever read
update please!
pretty please...
*falls on the floor and starts begging*

*Cries* Poor howell. Great fic!

Good story, except: What's the title supposed to mean? It seems like you're trying to say 'In the beginning' maybe. If you are, in Welsh it should be 'Yn y Dechrau', or 'I Cychwyn'. Sorry, but 12 years in welsh schools has made me very picky about it.

You're right about rugby being the best sport, woohoo!
My friends and I actually sang Sospan Fach in Cardiff the other day while watching a game, but we sang:

Mae bys Mary Ann wedi Brifo,
A Dafydd y gwas ddim yn Iach,
Mae'r baban yn ei chrud yn crio,
Ac mae'r Cath wedi Scrappo Johnny bach!

Sospan Fach yn Ferwi ar y Tan,
Sospan Fawr yn Ferwi ar y llawr,
Ac mae'r gath wedi scrappo johnny bach!

It's complete nonsense, even in welsh, but you're usually too drunk to notice when you sing it!

A very special comment for you.

It feels and reads like Dianna Wynne Jones could have written this herself.

Doesn't that just make you feel warm and all fuzzy inside?

I don't usually review fics, but I really loved this. Very nicely done. I heart Mumbles. She is by far the best female OC I've ever come across on this site. Hers and Howl's banter is absolutely priceless.

“People will think you’re gay until you open your mouth,” Mumbles argued, “Then they’ll realize you’re really a pervert.”

Brilliant, I tell you. Brilliant.

And the way that you drop hints about Sophie (what with the whole "cleaning" comment), and that bit about Howl's uncanny knack with make-up...everything just fits so WELL.

The ending, though. Wow. That gave me chills.

Keep up the good work. ^_^