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When Percy walks out of his final NEWT - his final exam at Hogwarts - he comes to the sinking realization that he has no idea what he wants to do with this life. What he’s been saying for years - that he aspires to be the youngest Minister in the history of the Ministry - if he’s being honest with himself, that’s not what he truly wants and never has been. He’s been living in the shadow of his older brothers for as long as he can remember, and the constant comparisons to them - especially to Bill - and Percy has long believed that the only way to end them is to exceed what his brother’s have accomplished. He now realizes that the way to end the comparisons is to simply be himself and show everyone that he and his brothers are different people. The problem is that he’s spent so long being who he thought he was expected to be and therefore has no idea who he really is.
After Oliver talks him down from his panic attack, something his best friend unfortunately has experience with, they talk over the situation. The one thing that Percy can always count on is that Oliver will never judge him. While he doesn’t have an immediate solution to solution to Percy’s issue - not that he expected him to - he does remind Percy that if he doesn’t get a Quidditch contract, he’ll be just as lost as to what to do with his future. And while he’s not sure if it will do any good, he does take Oliver’s advice to speak with Professor McGonagall.
She lets Percy explain everything before she speaks, though Percy can see the guilt on her face, which surprises him. While it was only natural for his professors to have had expectations of him based on his brothers’ performance in those same classes, she also has made it clear that she is aware that he is not carbon copy of them. “I should have pushed deeper into your motivations five years ago,” she admits. “That being said, you’re far from the first student I’ve had this conversation with.”
“I don’t follow,” Percy responds with a frown.
“What students seem to forget is that my being old means that I’ve taught all of your parents,” she explains. “That means that I should have known that your mother’s ambitions were indirectly influencing your own.”
“I just wanted to comparisons to stop,” Percy admits. “I thought being better than them was the only way to do that.”
“And that is where I failed you,” McGonagall responds. “We’re going to take a different approach now. Instead of focusing on where you excel, we’re going to focus on what you actually enjoy.”
“What if I don’t know what that is?” Percy asks softly. He’s spent so long throwing himself into his studies that he doesn’t really have any hobbies.
“Well we both know that you like Quidditch because there’s no way that you would have spent the past seven years being friends with Oliver Wood otherwise,” McGonagall responds. “We’re not looking for the meaning of life here. Just things that you enjoy.”
“It’s a little late to be pursuing that as a career choice,” Percy responds. “Especially given the way flying lessons went first year.”
“Well, no one’s perfect,” McGonagall responds, amused. “And there are other ways to be involved with Quidditch besides as a player.”
“That still doesn’t mean that I’d be good at any of it,” Percy argues.
“Stop selling yourself short, young man,” McGonagall scolds. “Wood pretends to be a strategic genius, but we both know that he doesn’t come up with those plays by himself.”
“I was only able to help because I’ve read…” Percy begins, trailing off when he realizes where McGonagall has been leading him. “Quidditch strategy books? Really?”
“You wouldn’t have to write them yourself, but they are always in need of editors,” McGonagall points out. “Quidditch, perfectionism, and books. Definitely sounds like someone I know.”
“You’re not wrong,” Percy admits. “How does one go about getting such a job? I don’t exactly have a lot of time to figure this out.”
“Never underestimate the connections of an old woman,” McGonagall responds. “I can get you in front of the right people, but the rest is up to you.”
“Thank you, Professor,” Percy responds gratefully, feeling excited about this potential new direction for his future, despite the fit he suspects that his mother will throw over having yet another son decide against working for the ministry.
He knows that it’s risky turning down the position waiting for him at the ministry before securing alternate employment, but Percy sees it as a necessary risk to make sure that he doesn’t fall back into the trap of doing what is expected. He hoped to be the one to break the news to his mother, but word travels fast, and he’s pretty sure that both his parents are aware within the hour. Molly definitely tries her hardest to talk him out of the decision, but Percy holds firm, deciding against pointing out that turning down a position that he had previously accepted means that he pretty well burned most bridges within the Ministry. She mutters something about him letting down the family name, just like his brothers, and Percy isn’t sure if she’s referring to the fact that Bill and Charlie took jobs outside the country or the fact that Fred, George, and Ron have all developed a reputation that tends to overshadow what the rest of the family does. Either way, it’s the first time that Percy doesn’t mind being compared to his siblings.
Fortunately, Percy gets an editor position after his first interview. After his initial assignment editing the newest Quidditch strategy book - for which he’s able to secure Oliver an advance copy - he expands into other areas, and throughout his career ends up editing most of the textbooks used at Hogwarts. While Percy suspects that his mother may never get over not having a future Minister in the family, she has also finally stopped comparing her children to each other, realizing that they’re all separate individuals with separate interests and talents. And for Percy, that might actually be the most important thing.