Chapter Text
Red is one of the primary colours of Vietnam. Percy can be sure of that.
Under the dawn, their national flags are flying in the wind.
There are many red flags with golden stars around the traffic roundabouts, on tree trunks, even on the gates of each house, store, coffee shop and state agencies. Blending with the red colour of dawn, the port city became more and more like a city of Gryffindors. Sometimes, he can see old style flags, with only one pattern – which are called intimately fat stars – in the centre of the red sheet. It was kind of adorable.
Percy has never visited somewhere too much red like this after graduating five years ago. Red is there, here and even above his head.
A ginger standing under a blooming poinciana tree canopy.
“It’s quite rare, Mr. Weasley,” Thanh said when taking photos. “Poinciana often blooms around April to June. Nhan will want to see these flowers.”
Percy has no impression that the teenager will love flowers. But then it was him and Thanh who forgot his lovely dog at the coffee shop. Long story short, Percy and his new friend had to go to the shop very early to pick Ki up. The owner’s family will go travelling today (they are on a long holiday after all) and they couldn’t take care of the dog anymore.
Ki seema sulked with his owner. The dog growled and spent almost the home trip burying his face into Percy’s lap, even when the owner gave him some treats or put a yellow helmet on his head. That helmet had holes and a two-winged pinwheel.
“Chong chóng tre nè Nobita.” (“Here, a bamboo-copter for you Nobita.”)
No, thanks.
The pinwheel spinning wildly during the trip especially when they entered a street near their house. There were a lot of trees there. It was quite small, their canopies covered space above people’s heads. Just little sunlight could touch helmets, making the street become a green and fresh place. National flags were also flying between the green.
“Why do you guys hang so many flags?”
“Oh, our Independence Day is reaching out within two days.” Thanh told him. “To celebrate big events like that, we often hang our national flags. It seems weird to you, doesn’t it?”
Percy shook his head.
“No, it doesn’t. On the contrary, it captivated me.”
Through the rearview mirror, Percy saw Thanh surprised for a moment.
Then he smiled.
Plan today is to visit a special location called Bach Long Vi island. Its name means White Dragon’s Tail. People said that once upon a time, dragons came from heaven to protect the Vietnamese, tails waved and made white foam at the place of the island, therefore it was named like that. There are people living on Bach Long Vi island, crowded enough to form a district. Most of them are Muggle.
“No wizards or witches?”
“Dunno. Never met local people, just travellers.”
“You said we would go to a special location.”
“Muggle are special,” Thanh grinned, patting his brother. Quyet looks like he just came back from the centre of Forbidden Forest. “Giày để ở ngoài, đừng có vác cái thứ bẩn thỉu đó vào nhà.” ("Shoes out! Don't bring those disgusting into this house!")
“Em đã phải đi làm ngày lễ rồi anh còn đánh em nữa!” ("You terrible person. I have to go to work on holiday and you dare to hit me?")
“Đấy là việc của em chứ có phải của anh đâu? Cởi ra, dầu dây ra nhà rồi.” ("It's your work, not mine. Don't you see oil is dropping? Take off your shoes.")
“Thì anh dùng phép giúp em đi chứ?” ("Just use your magic.") Quyet poked in the stack of golden amulets on the table, dirty from his finger dropped on them. The patterns vanish one by one after that. “Cho anh ăn học để về bắt em lau nhà bằng cây lau nhà như thế à? Ái đau, em biết lỗi rồi mà!” ("We sent you to that magic school not to let you force me clean the floor as a Muggle. Ouch, ouch, I'm sowwy, I'm really sowwyyyy!")
Percy swears Thanh looks exactly like Bill when he pinches his sibling’s ear and scolds him because of his carelessness.
For your information, Vietnamese magic, as the British one, has two types: Having conductor and not having conductor. Instead of wands, they have colourful amulets with various patterns (looks like worms and snakes) for conductors. Of course it’s really hard to draw them absolutely accurately, hand drawn, even with a professor, no wonder why Thanh is angry with Quyet. Countless times Fred made him angry like that.
He sighed.
Now, no one bothers him anymore. An uncomfortable feeling offers in his heart. If only he wasn’t that stupid, and didn't leave his family behind that summer, they would be together for more than two years. Percy misses the time when Ottery St. Catchpole village is the whole world to all of them. No pain, no guilt or death, just laugh and love.
“Uhm, hello?”
Holding his pet, the youngest said shyly. The boy was confused while they made eye contact and quickly hid his face behind the dog. It was the first time this little boy proactively greeted Percy without any reminder, then he regretted immediately. For Merlin’s sake, he is younger than Ginny, you brat. Percy told himself. It’s normal. That kid is just thirteen years old, he can appear shy whenever he wants.
Not because Nhan hates him.
However, it’s his turn to be shy and confused. Nhan has English in school, doesn’t he? Did he learn enough to talk with foreigners? Should Percy use short words to talk to him?
He blurted out:
“Hi?”
Nhan, reflexively, murmured behind the fur:
“How are you?”
“I’m fine, thank you. And… you?”
Percy can hear Thanh and Quyet giggle. His habit harmed him in this case. Godric blesses him.
Running to his brother, Nhan whisper softly:
“That’s good.”
The British didn’t understand anything. Quyet decided to converse with him while Thanh listened to Nhan who seems to have a whole Hogwarts: A History to talk about with his brother.
“Anh,” (“Brother,”) Nhan whispered, sounding like mosquitoes buzzing, although their customers even can’t pronounce a Vietnamese word. “Cái đồ trong suốt lơ lửng cạnh anh Peter là ai vậy?” (“Who is that transparents thing next to Peter?”)
Thanh squints, looks at the direction his brother is pointing, just to find a freckle-faced ghost who is grinning and doing a V sign. Perhaps he thinks Nhan is an interesting Muggle boy, because the ghost keeps getting closer and makes Nhan shiver. Ki – recognizes his little owner is uncomfortable – stops staring curiously at the soul and growls menacingly.
Well, Thanh forgot ghosts were seeable with kids and animals.
Different from their Western fellow-creatures, Vietnamese ghosts are very invisible. Abnormal, too. They often appear in people’s dreams or at some special time, when spiritual power (or magical power) rises up in the air. In conclusion, you must be a strong wizard to be able to interact with ghosts whenever you want. Nhan, of course, is a Muggle boy and has no magic in his body. Therefore, should Thanh admire his brother’s power, or get mad with that fret soul?
“Đừng lo, đấy chỉ là sở thích của người Anh thôi.” (“Don’t worry, it’s just some kind of… hobby. English style.”) Thanh lied in his teeth, ignoring the ghost’s question as to why he was the only one that had narrowed eyes in the family. “Một dạng ảo ảnh. Nó vô hại, nhưng khoái quấy rầy thiên hạ bằng những câu ngu ngốc. Nó làm phiền em à?” (“Type of illusion magic. Harmless, but love bothering everyone by asking dull questions. It disturb you?”)
Nhan shook his head, then nodded:
“Nó bảo em nói gì đó với anh Peter. Lý do vì sao thì em không nghe được, nhưng tay con ma lạnh quá nên em đành nói đại. Tưởng đâu ngâm mình trong chậu nước đá ấy anh.” (“He asked me to say something with Peter. I couldn’t hear the reason, you know my listening skill. But its hand was too cold, like an icy bath, so I spoke randomly.”)
Alas, Mr. Weasley has such adorable siblings.
“Anh biết rồi, để anh xử lý. Em còn lạnh không?” (“Got it, let me deal with this. Are you still cold?”)
Fred Gideon Weasley shrivelled up when met the elder's glare. He, hmh, wasn't purposeful, did he? He just wants to take care of Percy, like Thanh took care of his baby brother! They had the same aim, why did that Asian need to ruffle feathers with him?
Going to the beach on these hot and muggy days is really a bad idea.
For more accurately, it’s suicidal idea.
No need to step on the glittering golden sand – as it is boiling Felix Felicis, through the ship window, Percy already can imagine what terror is waiting for him outside. The temperature (about thirty-eight degrees if he was not wrong) heated the thick glass panel of the window, making Percy regret it right after touching. Nevertheless, Thanh happily pulled him off the ship, letting tropical weather kill his European friend.
Although they went by ship of the driver who drove them home, the travel time was quite long and exhausting. That driver, surprisingly, is a squib. He asked his family to help him improve the ship, then it still took them five hours to get here. Percy can’t help but peevish when hot sand falls into his shoes and even his shocks. The heat and humidity is haunting Percy, making him want to tear his own skill, to run away from the prick feeling. It’s bloody hot here, salt vapour clings and the sun burns everything, and Percy almost has no sweat at all. Thing is too stuffy, as if someone cursed his sweat, making them strand under his skin.
Percy can’t understand why on Earth people still want to travel. Not all of them have Chilling Spell to cool themselves!
Thanh, used to this weather, grinning:
“Come on, Mr. Weasley! I'm pretty sure I won’t disappoint you.”
Avoiding Muggle-and-wizard-travellers-mixed crowds, they walk towards the lighthouse placed on the edge of the island. That huge architecture includes two parts: two floors at the bottom – their yellow paint with dark green windows and doors remind Percy about an old French house – and the grey lighthouse rising high in the sky. Reaching the front door, Thanh knocks on the door carefully, following a melody that Percy doesn’t know. He just vaguely guess the notes:
Do – La – Fa – Fa – Son – Re – Do
“It is the first verse of a famous song written about this city[1].” Thanh said, touching the door handle, “Do you want to study how to sing it?”
The read head refused immediately:
“No, I can't even pronounce a simple word correctly, how I– !”
Suddenly, he fell silent. Percy wasn’t that awkward at all, it was the house which made him fall silent. Through the open door, he can see inside and realises it has no floor. There is the ocean instead. The waves’ whisper echo throughout the yellow space.
“Merlin’s beard, I thought this lighthouse was placed on the island?”
“That’s right, but we are wizards, remember?” Thanh smiled slyly, grasped Percy’s wrist, made both his new friend and the ghost behind them paled. “Just a little water, it won’t harm.”
Before Percy can be aware of what the heck is going on here, Thanh pulls him into the water.
Instinctively, the British visitor closed his eyes and tried to keep his glasses in panic, but then, there was nothing. As if he had touched a Port Key and been teleported, cool air breathed in his freaking discomfort body, made Percy relax a little bit, then glide away in the air and touch the ground. At the same time, Thanh lets go of his wrist, cheering:
“Mr. Weasley, welcome to Bach Long Vy Sanctuary!”
Blue slowly covers everything when Percy difficulty opens his eyes. Despite that awareness, the very first things he saw when he completely opened his eyes were his sneakers and the yellow floral tiles. Percy looks up, curiously observed. He saw himself standing in a long, deep and cool corridor. Both sides are giant glass panels panelling along the walls, all of them are crystal, looking straight out to the ocean, with fish, octopus and other marine life swimming around. It looks like the place Muggle calls an aquarium.
However, Percy knows this is not a normal aquarium, not only because of the strange entrance but also countless charms and spells were added on glossy faces of glass panels. They are transparent, although releasing weird magic enough for him to realise – he isn't always good at detecting magic. They and the natural magic of this ocean interweave together, creating a protected ward which is both secure and disorganised as the whole electric wires Percy often sees in this country. Believe him, he still can’t understand how the electricians work with them.
His eyes, originally blue, now become another tone of this colour, because of the pale blue light shining from the ocean outside. They spark brightly, reflecting back on the full charm and spell glass panel. Seemed attracted by Percy’s eyes, a creature that looked like a giant snake quietly swam towards him. It must be the size of the Basilisk which still struggles in the Chamber of Secrets, its whole body is covered by navy eye-catching and petal-shaped scales. The animal body is sturdy and strong. There are light navy feathers in each elbow, softly curved towards the water. Its five claws are big, sharp and very authoritative, easily threatening every creature around on its own terrifying weapons. It's no exaggeration to say that the huge snake was the king of this ocean.
However, the animal’s head doesn’t look like a snake at all.
Percy pressed his face against the glass, trying his best to observe the animal more carefully.
That “sea serpent” has midnight blue eyes, a very ferocious pair of eyes. Around its head and face are feathers as in the elbows, but winding with more liveliness. Above the mouth full of sharp teeth is a weird thing which looks like an elephant's trunk, though it’s quite short, perhaps it is the trace remains of “nose” which existed before this creature changed its own habitat, from living on the ground to living under the water. Both sides of that nose are a quite long pair of fangs, those things make the animal look even more like the result of an illegal breeding elephant with a snake.
While Percy is busy thinking about which kind of animal that creature is after all, the “sea serpent” reached, its streaked with blood eyes looking at him attentively. Percy rapidly steps back, just when the animal sticks out its long, garnet-colour and meanders tongue out, and, using that tongue to penetrate the glass panel which is full of charms and spells.
Percy couldn't help but curse.
Thanh said nothing, just continues to observe that animal in silence.
From its deep black mouth, an orange red marble rolls slowly towards the length of the tongue, then falling into the floor with a chickling sound.
“It’s a gift from the dragon, Perce. Take it.”
Somebody whispered in his ear. Percy swallows saliva, carefully waiting for the dragon to retract its tongue before picking up the Remembrance-size marble. It melted immediately, turning into a movable creature figure that Percy was all too familiar with. This figure is similar to that horror sea serpent, but the full crimson fins body is elongated, the feet just have three fingers with smaller claws. The fangs are also shorter. By the way, its longer trunk can breathe fire as Western dragon.
“Oh, Fire Dragon of the Ly Dynasty! I have searched for it for a long time. Perce, trade it for me!”
“What on Earth is that?” Following his instinct, Percy turned his head left, saw Thanh stand at a distance, waving hand as greeting him. Turning his head right, Percy almost hits straight in an excited face, the bloody face of his second older brother, Charlie dragon-holic Weasley. Even in one of his palms, there is a miniature version of that elephant-and-snake thing.
Do not notice his shocking sibling, Charlie grinned:
“Godric, Madam Ha, what’s a surprise!”
Who?
Looking towards Charlie’s direction, Percy almost has a heart attack: that fierce dragon now gradually shrinks. All the fins were gone, left behind a hairless smooth skin, both mane and crest turned into blonde hair, and a stunningly beautiful woman replaced the dragon. She easily went through the glass panel, the huge tattoo – that kind of huge will make Percy’s mum faint if she had a chance to see – which spread along her body, from neck hollow to left thigh, glows under the thick traditional clothes. More and more ripples appear on the protection ward, as the surface of the lake on a windy day, until the woman completely stands in the corridor. She looks straight at young wizards with the golden and vertical pupils' eyes.
Percy, although white as a sheet, still being attracted by that creature, can’t remove his eyes from her.
Her voice bright and resounding:
“I was unexpected to see you and professor Thanh here, Mr. Weasley. You really love dragons, don’t you?”
Thanh greeted that woman, then introduce:
“This is Madam Hoang Thu Ha – the Head of our Wizarding Diplomacy Department. As you can see, Mr. Weasley, she is a dragon.”