THE WEASLEY FAMILY and QUIDDITCH
Charlie couldn't help but feel sorry for his sister whenever they play Quidditch. How could he not when the boys are all having fun while Ginny's being hounded by the chickens their mother had tasked her to tend to or maybe by the gnomes trying to sneak into her part of the land? He looked back at that time when he and Bill received that Broomstick Servicing Kit. They couldn't believe that it was Ginny's gift then, but now…
I have to at least give her something…
It's been two years and Charlie decided it's time to make a bid as the coolest brother. So, it was one fine summer morning, when their mom had just left to go to Diagon Alley that he woke his sister up and asked her to wear her least favorite clothes.
Minutes later, Ginny yawned as she blinks the sleep away. She's standing in the field in front of the hoops with Charlie holding two brooms and wearing what looked like a nervous smile. She was sure he looked ready to bolt or something.
"What's up, Charlie," Ginny asked thinking of the eggs in the chicken coup that she should be harvesting soon.
"Er," Charlie chewed the inside of his mouth. Now that he has Ginny out on the Quidditch pitch and had seen how small she still is, he wasn't at all sure if he should go with his Coolest Brother scheme.
"Give it here, Charlie," Ginny said looking unconcerned. Charlie blinked in surprise and handed the broom over. He looked down on the ground, thinking:
She seems eager to learn. I think I should go for it.
Swish. Swish. Swish.
Charlie looked up so fast, his eyes widening in disbelief. He stood there feeling rather torn and a little dismayed at the sight.
"You know, Charlie," started Ginny. "If you wanted help cleaning the pitch, you should've told me sooner. I don't mind."
"What?! No…" Charlie shook his head and took a step forward. If he looked like he was a little rough yanking the ancient broom from his little sister's hands, he didn't know. Ginny looked up, her cheeks coloring in surprise.
Before Charlie could explain, Ginny was already near tears and wringing her hands. The sorry sight made him feel so guilty he dropped in front of her and embraced his little sister. He then lifted her up, letting the broom he was holding drop to the ground.
"I was just going to teach you how to fly on a broom, Gin," said Charlie and when he heard her sob, he felt tears of shame at the corners of his eyes. "Com'on, Lil sis. I'm sorry. Don't cry."
Ginny nodded. "But I'm just six, Charlie. Mum won't even let me handle knitting needles even though I remember her saying I could once I'm six."
"Well," Charlie couldn't believe he's about to talk his sister into this. "Look at Ron for example no… wait… Fred and George for example. Er… you, uh…"
Ginny blinked and wiped her snot with the back of her hand. She waited patiently for Charlie to make up his mind.
"You had your own plot of land to farm even before they did, right?" Charlie asked feeling both proud of himself with that and ashamed that he's about to talk her sister into something illegal if Molly Weasley is to ask.
Ginny sniffed and nodded, looking thoughtful. "They still don't have any even now."
It's because they don't want it but you don't know that. No harm is done.
"So, see?" Charlie flicked her nose which earned a little pout. "You're special so you can definitely learn Quidditch early."
"I thought you're just going to teach me how to fly," said Ginny, looking nervous. "Ron said Quidditch is for boys. I'm not a boy, Charlie."
"Ron lied," Charlie told her, flatly. "In fact, there's a very famous Quidditch team that's all girls, Gin."
"Really?" Ginny asked, eyes wide in awe. Then, she dipped her head on his shoulder. "I always wanted to try it especially when you guys looked like you're having fun."
It was his time to ask in disbelief. "Really?"
I always thought you were too busy with veggies to care.
Ginny looked away shyly. "We can't tell Mum about this, can we?"
Charlie nodded and smiled sheepishly.
"Don't worry," Ginny beamed. "It's a secret."
Charlie beamed back feeling more elated than that time he got in the Gryffindor Quidditch Team.
Ginny may have had trouble balancing herself on the Shooting Star at first but it wasn't for a lack of talent. It just so happens that the Shooting Star she was using (all brooms in the Burrow are this ancient) wasn't really user-friendly. Even so, Charlie did his best to guide her throughout the flying lessons as soon as their mother steps out of the house every Sunday morning.
Charlie escorted Ginny through a lap around the pitch at a painstakingly slow pace. He doesn't mind though, Ginny was talking about Percy and their little encounter with a long-haired blonde man in the bookshop.
"That was probably a Malfoy," said Charlie. "It was smart of you and Percy to walk away from him."
Ginny shrugged and though the broom shuddered a little, she regained control quickly. Then she frowned. "A Malfoy?"
"They're one of the richest families in Wizarding Britain if not the Wizarding world, Gin," said Charlie. "And because of that, they don't mix well with… er… people like us."
Charlie let those words sink in for a couple of seconds. When he was about to reassure her that all's well, Ginny smiled at him and said, "I know."
Charlie found her response a little curious though he didn't voice it out. Instead, he changed the topic and asked Ginny what Quidditch position she would picture herself playing for.
"You said seekers are more preferable if they're small. It makes them faster," said Ginny. "I'm small."
"You're not going to be small forever, Gin," said Charlie sighed. He didn't like the sound of that though not like he can do something about it. "You're even turning seven in a month's time. You'd be like forty before you know it."
Ginny laughed. "That's old!"
"Speaking of your birthday," Charlie did a careless swerve before hanging upside down just above Ginny. "What do you want for your birthday, Gin?"
Ginny chuckled and tried to reach for his nose but Charlie avoided her hand easily. That was the first time one of Ginny's hand let go of the broom. Charlie didn't point it out but mentally counted that as a feat.
"A Harry Potter Book, perhaps?" asked Charlie. "It's famous for children your age these days though if you ask me, I don't think those are factual at all."
"What's a Harry Potter?" asked Ginny.
"He's the one who defeated He-who-must-not-be-named, Gin," said Charlie. "But he's like, one year older than you so I don't think he's really out there raiding tombs and saving princesses from dragons."
Ginny nodded eyes alight with excitement. "Oh, I remember now! Mum mentioned him before. I think he's really strong and brave."
Charlie grimaced.
"Like a prince!" Ginny added, excitedly. Charlie didn't like the sound of her hero-worshipping at all. "Even you know Harry Potter. He must be really amazing."
"Right," said Charlie instead of calling her out. "Why don't we step on it a bit yeah? Let's race."
Ginny watched her brother speed away and tried her best to keep the rowdy broom in check. If she ended up stuck in the tree after the lesson a bit longer than usual, it wasn't because Charlie got upset with the Harry Potter talk and left her there for a while in a petty sort of discipline. Not like she'd ever know that.
