This one-shot was written for: Harry Potter Fanfiction Challenges - Birthday Fic Exchange's Fanfiction, School of Imagination and Creativity - Assessment 1 - Other cultures: Laos - with Hermione Granger Weasley
Disclaimer: I don't own the Harry Potter series, all rights go to J.K. Rowling.
Note: I'm not from Laos. All information I used was from different internet sites. If I'm wrong, sorry for my mistakes, I wasn't trying to hurt anyone's feelings. If someone spots a cultural mistake just point it out and I will correct it. We don't know anything about the wizarding world in Laos, everything written in the story about it is my own creation, my own ideas. Also, I don't speak Lao, I've translated the English words and phrases to Lao with Google Translate. I'm not sure they if they are good.
Dear Ron,
I dearly miss you, but this place is incredible, I'm just not sure in which way. I think I should start by describing the country and the people who live there. Laos, officially Lao People's Democratic Republic is the 84th biggest country in the World and as I've already told you it is a landlocked country in Southeast Asia. About six million people live here and only 0,025 % of the people have magical abilities. As I'm sure that you are lazy to calculate it, the wizarding population is around one thousand five hundred.
I'm not sure why Minister Shacklebolt sent me here. Before you start that I'm the best among the best I must say that their culture is very different from ours. Laos is one of the world's five remaining socialist states espousing communism, which wouldn't be a problem, but its economy is very far from ours. Just an example, they don't have any railways while in Great Britain even wizards have been using it for hundred years.
Of course, muggles have their own political system and they have ministry, but the wizarding world doesn't really have one. Of course there is a group of people who keep under control the witches and wizards and makes sure that the International Statute of Wizarding Secrecy is in order and there is a leader, who we would associate with the Minister for Magic, but it's not like our system. The leader is called Attapeu Xiangkhoang and he is a strict but fair leader in my opinion, he reminds me of Professor McGonagall in many ways. As you know my task would be to help to develop their ministry and build up a system similar to our Ministry of Magic, but I know it isn't going to be easy.
You could ask why it wouldn't be easy, I know you would. My answer is that here even witchcraft and wizardry is different. Here most people are very religious, in the past of wizarding and muggle people as well, when law enforcement was not in place, Buddhism was the only thing that bound people together. For Lao people magic doesn't mean the same as it does for us. There are big cities which are similar to what we are used to, but there are many small tribes still who live a completely different life. They think that magic has to do with their religion mostly. They think that the people who possess the ability to perform magic are 'chosen ones'. (I know Ronald Billius Weasley that you are laughing at the moment and you make fun of poor Harry.) They actually called them that, 'daihabkhadleuok nung' if you really want to know, they don't really understand the term 'witch' and 'wizard'.
Daihabkhadleuok nung in many ways are like muggleborns at home. They know what they are capable of, they know that they are different, but they live among muggles. In tribes mostly muggles know that daihabkhadleuok nung are different, they just don't know how much different they are. In bigger cities, in economical developed ones, they mostly live a life similar to ours, but they mostly live in the muggle world. To be honest, from what I have already seen, they don't have a parallel world with the muggles like we have.
They don't even know what I was talking about when I mentioned blood status. Beside the phunoakhong bo daihabkhadleuok dai (in English 'leader of the chosen ones', that's the title of Xiangkhoang) or simply phunoa (leader), they don't really have hierarchy in the wizarding world. They just go by the muggle system. Everyone who possesses magical abilities are special, are chosen ones, they don't care if the daihabkhadleuok nung's family is magical or not, if they have money or they are poor. They are all special. I like it, wouldn't you? Can you imagine it, Voldemort would have never been able to find anyone who supported or even helped him. I tried to explain about the First and Second Wizarding War, about the Rise and Fall of Voldemort, but all I got was a few strange looks. They really didn't understand what I was talking about (and before you make a bad joke about them not speaking in English, I have to say those who are in politics, leaders are pretty good in English.)
Our society, our world, our system is completely different from theirs. Not all daihabkhadleuok nung possesses a wand, can you imagine that? They are all very advanced in potion making and in more natural magic, but even the leader Xiangkhoang was impressed by some simply spells I used. The idea what would probably kill you, Harry and even Rosie and Hugo, that they don't use brooms. Xiangkhoang knew what Quidditch is, but he simply said that no one plays it. Most daihabkhadleuok nung does the national muggle sport Muay Lao, a type of kickboxing. (If you don't know what kickboxing is just ask Harry, Audrey or someone else, Ronald.)
I have to go now as I'm going to have a meeting with Xiangkhoang in half an hour and he is married with small kids before you would start being jealous. (However, even though polygamy is officially a crime in Laos, the penalty is really minor.)
I love you and the kids too, it's hard to be away from you. Tell Rosie and Hugo that Mommy is going to be home soon.
Love,
Hermione
Dear Ron,
I'm feeling rather ill and nauseous. Before you ask, no I'm sure I'm not pregnant, Rosie and Hugo won't gain a little brother or sister; I'm just not used to the Lao cuisine.
You know that I'm not fond of sticky rice, don't you? Well, in fact, the Lao eat more sticky rice than any group or people in the world and is considered the essence of what it means to be 'Lao', they even call themselves 'Luk Khao Niaow' sometimes which can be translated to English as 'children/descendants of sticky rice'.
I'm sure you are more interested in the cuisine of Laos than in its political, social and economical system, so I will tell a bit more about it. (Before you would protest just accept it, I know you better than anyone else and you really don't stop ever thinking about your stomach.)
Today for lunch Xiangkhoang invited me to his house (where his wife cooked us) larb (or laap). It's a spicy mixture of marinated meat and fish that is sometimes raw (yes, it really was raw, Ronald) with a variable combination of herbs, greens, and spices. I thanked them and eat it politely but I ended up without much in my stomach in the end.
The only true traditional cuisine I like is the spicy green Papaya salad dish known as tam mak hoong. At least tomorrow I'm going to the capital city, Vientiane which is a pretty developed city and where the French legacy is noticeable. According to Xiangkhoang such that baguettes are sold on the street and French restaurants are common and popular, so I'm going to be able to east something European and similar to what I know (at least thank to Fleur I'm used to French cuisine).
As you see here the muggle and the wizarding cuisine doesn't have any differences, muggles and daihabkhadleuok nung really only eat the same things, they don't even have any magical sweets like we have.
I'm going now, because I need to visit a traditional tribe, so I can see more of Laos and I can get to see the way daihabkhadleuok nung live among the muggles. Xiangkhoang is taking me to a Lao Soung tribe (to highland people). I'm sure it's going to be really interesting.
Don't forget to take Rosie to Anna's birthday party and you have promised Hugo that you will take him to meet with the Scamander brothers.
I miss you, I really do.
Love,
Hermione
Dear Ron,
No, I don't find Xiangkhoang attractive or even handsome. Just stop being jealous, I'm going home in a few days. I'm sorry to disappoint you, but I don't really more about the Lao cuisine, but if you are interested I will tell you more about Laos' culture.
I know that you were laughing at the names so I thought I will tell you a bit about Lao language. (And yes, the magical leader's name is really Attapeu Xiangkhoang, and no, Ronald, I don't call him Poo-poo.) Lao is the primary language, although are other Laotian dialects spoken by the ethnic minority groups. Lao language is a very polite language (so, I'm sure you are happy that you weren't born in Laos) and Lao, like many languages in Laos, is written in the Lao scrip.
Yesterday while I was on a walk with Xiangkhoang I heard traditional Lao folk music, called Lam. I got to know from my guide that it typically includes two singers – a male and a female - a khene player and other instruments. It was really great, I loved it. I also got to know that there are many daihabkhadleuok nung among the musicians, because they find music a form of magic. That reminded me of Dumbledore, he would have said the same.
My day was really interesting; I even saw their national dance. The most popular folk dance is the lam vong, it's a slow and graceful couples' dance, and it was very nice to watch. Before you would ask Ronald, I actually work here, I have just a bit of free time between meeting different magical leaders and I'm not on a vacation without you.
I can't wait to see you and the kids again. Have you done everything I asked from you, Ronald Weasley? Luna wrote to me and she said that Hugo hasn't met with the twins. Why haven't you taken him, when I even reminded you? We will need to talk when I get home.
Love,
Hermione