Team: Gryffindor
Year: Year 2 (filling in)
Category: Short

Prompt: No Muggles Allowed sign
Words: 597

All Signs Point to No

"I vote in favor of the sign," James said while holding the 'No Muggles Allowed' sign he had made from scrap wood. The words were sloppy and tilted and the paint had dripped in a few parts. But the 10-year-old looked proud of his work.

"But what if we make Muggle friends?" Lily sat on the ground twisting some dandelions together.

"What about it Lils?" Albus couldn't care less about the club house. It's not like anyone would want to play with them anyway.

Their house was creepy and their little play area was a bunch of wood stuck together in their backyard. Albus used the term backyard since no other term fit the tiny patch of grass. It was half the size of his bedroom and barely fit the little house James had convinced their father to help him make.

Albus suggested using the charm Aunt Hermione uses to make her purses larger on the inside, but their father disapproved. It was mostly because he was afraid that a Muggle would wander into their yard and see it. Albus didn't see why a hobo would take interest in their little make-shift club house. It wouldn't offer much shelter, and the risk of being caught outweighed the reward. That being said, the Muggles of London often confused Albus on a daily basis.

"They would be hurt to see a sign like that." Lily finished her little crown and placed it on her head. "I want everyone to feel included."

"That's great Lily but they don't know what Muggle means," James pushed.

"Dad says we shouldn't push magical things onto them," Albus stated. Even though he didn't believe anyone would step foot back here with them, he sided with Lily.

"Yeah James." Lily stuck her tongue out.

"Why don't you put the sign in your room or something?" Albus suggested. He was always the one who kept the peace between them all. Unless James got on his nerves, then their mother had to step in. He figured that would become Lily's job once she got older. She wasn't quite ready to leave her world of make believe to help mediate between her brothers.

"It would look cool on my closet door."

"Kids," their mother called from the back door, "Dinner."

The three of them marched inside expecting their father to be seated at the table, but he wasn't, again. Their mother waited until Lily started complaining before letting them eat. They were all getting tired of never seeing their father. Even James, who looked up to him like a devoted puppy. Albus wondered what Teddy would have to say if he wasn't off at Hogwarts.

"I was thinking you three could visit your grandparents for the weekend."

"Why?" Albus looked at his mother and saw how deep her dark circles were and regretted his question immediately.

"I think it would be good for the three of you to play somewhere bigger than this table."

None of them objected any further and after dinner they packed for their trip. Albus stayed up long enough to hear his father come home. He heard the argument between his parents while he stared at the ceiling. He drifted off to sleep shortly after and groaned when Lily came barreling in to wake him up.

As his mother saw them off to their grandparents, Albus hoped everything would be fixed. That his father would be home in time for dinner when they arrived. But over the years Albus lost faith in his father. He just hadn't realized that this was the starting point.