Howl takes Sophie back through the Black Down Door, once things have settled down.
He takes her to see his family, as herself this time. She never does learn to like Megan, but she tolerates an occasional family dinner.
Howl takes her to museums, and Sophie almost screams the first time she sees the dinosaurs at Cardiff museum.
Howl introduces her to The Other World’s music, and buys Sophie a record player. After that, she never does anything without some music playing.
Howl introduces Sophie to his old Uni rugby team, and Sophie learns the saucepan song.
Sophie starts going out into The Other World on her own - she learns how to walk in “jeans”, as Howl calls them.
Sophie takes classes at Uni - she learns all about the history of this other world, the world that formed the man she loves.
Sophie learns not to be afraid of “horseless carriages” (cars, she learns to call them), and eventually learns to drive Howl’s.
They get married in both worlds - (Howl magically forges Sophie a birth certificate), and Morgan is born a Welsh citizen.
Howl and Sophie get dinner in The Other World, on occasion. Sometimes they leave Culcifer to watch Michael and Morgan, and sometimes Sophie and Culcifer leave Howl behind, and Sophie shows her best friend the wonders of this strange land.
Sophie goes to one Mommy and Me class with Morgan, before deciding that this is one part of the Other World she does not need to participate in.
Howl, Sophie, and Morgan go on vacations in the Other World, though Sophie doesn’t think she’ll ever feel entirely comfortable in an airplane. (“The magic carpet was better, Howl, and I hated the magic carpet.”)
Morgan goes to secondary school in Wales, which Howl and Sophie both agree on.(Although they argue about it, for fun.) They both want him to be able to choose his path, and which world that path will lead him into
Ingory, and the other countries of the world Sophie was born in will always be her home. And, they will always be Howl’s too. But Sophie loves Howl, and The Other World is a part of him, and so she loves that too..
As the years pass, Howl becomes more and more a true member of Sophie’s world, and Sophie becomes a member of his. And they stand together, in the threshold, walking in the balance between their two worlds.
