Title: Any Silly Sport
Fandom: Harry Potter
Rating: K
Length: 226 words
Content notes: N/A
Author notes: N/A
Summary: Percy's not afraid of flying, really. He's afraid of what it means.



Everyone assumed he was afraid of flying.

Percy wasn’t, not really.

He was more afraid of falling in love with flying and what that would mean for his family. It was hard enough, trying to find a broom for Charlie to play quidditch on. It seemed the twins would fall in love with it too, and Ron (and he would never bet against Ginny – she only thought nobody knew she was sneaking into the broom shed).

Being the family disappointment would mean falling in love with flying and wanting a broom of his own, even if he could never compete with his siblings based on talent. And there was no chance he was a better flyer than them.

So he was afraid.

He was so very, very afraid, and it was a wonder the hat had ever thought he was suitable for Gryffindor. And the broom refused to rise to his hand when he first spoke, voice trembling, because Bill and Charlie were lurking around the corner watching his class.

That night they cornered him at the dinner table.

Percy pushed back his glasses, looked at them, and said he thought he preferred books to any silly sport. He waited until they left, Bill with his hand on Charlie’s arm, and then he let a tear fall down his face as he hid behind his book.