Remember to Behave, Son. Magnus.

[Angelus Van Helrov]

Magnus,

I expect you were told after your last adventure the school would be writing to me. They are threatening your expulsion and I do not want to see that. If your mother has told you this or not, I want you to know I was once expelled from school, I do not recommend it, son, you're a Slytherin, I would like you to put more effort into not getting caught for the stunts you pull.

Should this continue you will leave me no choice but to interfere, I will not see my son fail to get his full education.

With deepest affection,
Your father.

Magnus Van Helrov

[Magnus Van Helrov]

Father,

I almost hoped for a warm letter from home. To be honest I am a little sad. It was not as if I planned to get caught. That stupid prefect already asumes it is me before they even have prove. They didn’t even had prove in this matter, father. I’m just their favourite person to point at. They’re all wankers.

Anyways I don’t want to disappoint you, I guess I have to work a little harder and sent trails to other people. There is this firstie and two seventh year Puffs who prank a lot. Tips are welcome all though I think asking you for help on this matter will not get me far. Mother told me I already made it further in school than you have indeed.

Don’t get me wrong, your achievements despite your school are amazing. If you can make it that far without full education, why shouldn’t I be capable of the same?

How are mother and the little devils doing? I haven’t heard of them in a while.

See you soon,

Magnus

[Angelus Van Helrov]

Magnus,

The only suggestion I have to offer is to lie low for a while. They are suspecting you becasue they have reason to believe you are suspicious, you have a history, and in then are of the prefect whom caught you out, well he was correct, wasn't he? That is a testament to his efficiency as a leader and an enforcer of the rules, not grounds to whine that your being punished was unfair.
So that is my suggestion, it is less risky than framing your collegues, though you,re correct in saying you have achieved more than I had by your age, so I will leave the judgment to be made by you.

Do not think I doubt your capability, son, I am extremely proud of everything you are and everything you do, but you should understand that somethings do not have to be as hard as you set them up to be. Having a record of being expelled so young made it difficult for me to get off the ground, even if it does happen though, you will always have a place in our family, but qualifications make a successful future even easier than it will be for you.

Your mother would like me to tell you she misses you dearly, she is very well, Sonya and Cáel are keeping her busy as is the shop keeping me busy. I've had a visit from some ministry stiff about our selling to creatures recently, threats of Azkaban, so like you I will be laying low for a while.

Love from me and the family,
Your Father.

[Magnus Van Helrov]

Father,

You’re right, it’s better not to make myself any more suspicious. Well that prefect was a judgemental arse, he had no prove. It could just have been someone else. He may have been right this time but if he ever blames me for someone else’s shit I’ll make him regret it. So I guess I’ll not frame others then, seeing I wouldn’t like it either.

I wonder what I am going to do with my spare time. Perhaps you could write me more, updating me about home and the shop. I might need something to read.

Thanks father, it’s good to know I can always count on you. I love you and mother, I really couldn’t have wished for better parents. All my classmates are only complaining about theirs. Especially with restrictions to keep the family’s good name. All pureblood rich people who don’t want their children to hang out with ‘scum’. A lot of them already get engaged, I don’t even want to think about that word.

I’ll make it, atleast till my O.W.L.s. It’s only a few more months and that little piece of parchment sure saves a lot of stressing.

Sent mother my, Sebastian’s and Cecilia’s love. Summer is not far away anymore, I’ve already spotted the first bird eggs. Cecillia and I cooked them, they tasted well. What about the Azkaban thread however? They aren’t going to take you away, are they?

Miss you,

Magnus

[Angelus Van Helrov]

Magnus,

I hate to tell you what I understand now to be bad news, but my intention is for you to marry as well. I will not force anything on you of course, but a good marriage with a good family will only benefit our family name. The upper class are a miserable bunch of bastards but I want to beat them at their own game, to make the Van Helrov's as well known, rich and feared as the Malfoys. That is what I want, though, and I am no so backward to force that desire on you and your siblings, but if you would aspire to the same goals as me it would be welcome news. Think on it, son.

Azkaban was only threatened, the ministry man provided me with an entertaining enough conversation, he was forced to fine me as though I was unaware of what we were selling to but left a compliment of my skills to lie as he left. A fine, only, 400 galleons, which I can get with little problems, it is the loss of business to the desperate creatures which will hurt us more.

On that note. I'm working to sell a new design for wand concealment to the Aurors. Its a messy procedure, bloody but simple enough, though I have no voluntary experiments so far and cannot assure them of its long term use. Makes things difficult. If they will sign for an order of them, money will not be an issue for us for years to come.

[Magnus Van Helrov]

Dear father,

As long as it is not some brain dead cow. I refuse to marry a girl like that. However if you insist, I might have a look around. Even so I do not plan to get married before my twenty fifth, I want more in life than a wife a house a dog and a kid. Making our family a well known one sounds interesting however. I am willing to help with that and make us reach that goal faster. However that’d require more than just simple marriage. Besides which rich man would want their daughter to marry me as I am now. I do believe we need at first a start to get our good side out and we should become more rich.

I’m more than glad to hear you’re not going to Azkaban. I wouldn’t want to go a few years without you. Besides you won’t be the same person when you return, they say it messes with your mind.

If there is anyway I can help you with the shop please tell me. Seeing I am prankless the coming weeks I can use a few hours to put in greater things. The Forbidden Forest is near so if there are any materials you need I could get them.

I’ll hear from you,

Your son

P.S. Could you sent a pair of spare shoes?

[Angelus Van Helrov]

Magnus,

Of course I'll not have you marry a girl below your station, she will be every bit as extraordinary to you as your mother is to me, or at least have the potential to be. Indeed she will be from a rich family, pureblood and influential and she will be well spoken ans well read and not a complete waste of breath like most silly girls are.

As far as a fortune for our family is concerned I am expecting a visit from an auror soon and am hoping to start up a contract with the ministry of magic, as mentioned in my last letter, its an exiting prospect.

New materials are always welcome, unicorn tail hairs in particular, they can be found in trees and bushes, snagged and pulled out. I'd love to work with the horn and blood but I do not want you to try to kill a unicorn, it's very dangerous on more fronts than what you may be aware of.

I'm also certain dittany can be found in the forest and whatever else strikes your fancy.
I sent more shoes, spare and a size up; if you haven't grown out of your old ones you will soon, I'd assume.

your father.

[Magnus Van Helrov]

Father,

Thank you for the shoes, they’re much appreciated.

A girl like mother would be fine by me. Actually I thought I finally met a decent girl. She even had a wand from your shop. So I thought she had taste but she turned out to be a brainless snob after all. The amount of smart girls or ones with personality are hard to find. However I have plenty of years I’m only in my fifth year after all. No need to get all worked up over some cow.

An auror from the ministry, that sounds really promising. I hope you can get him into a contract. Actually, I’m sure you can manage something out of him. When will the auror visit?

Your letter arrived just in time, we just had a class about unicorns not too long ago. Mr. Wexler brought one and I managed to take some tail hairs from the brush he used. I hope they’re of good quality. It was a female, a young one. Killing an unicorn seems to be illegal as well, perhaps we have the stupid luck to stumble upon a dead one some day. Dittany is a little harder to find, but I have no trouble getting into the forest without getting caught. You might get some with the next letter.

Keep me updated,

Magnus

(several unicorn hairs were carefully wrapped in a handkerchief)

[Angelus Van Helrov]

Magnus,

You are a good boy! I couldn't be prouder, there's nothing better than a man who's reliable and gets his job done. Thank you for the tail hair, they are of excellent quality.

Trust me you will find a wife worth her weight in gold, the smart girls will go for the good men, and you're likely to meet in the most unconventional of ways, you are quite correct, at only fifteen there is no need to be running around like a turkey trying to force some silly girl into taking your name for the point of making an announcement.

I expect him before Christmas at the latest, but I imagine he'll be around a good deal sooner.

Stupid luck tends to be in short supply, but it is called stupid luck for a reason so you never know, and laws were made to be broken, you will give yourself an advantage if you might comfortable operate outside of the rules everyone else follows, as long as you have your own morals, and I'm not the type to condone killing a unicorn anyway, silly taboo but alas, I do still have my morals.

You'll be paid for your work, I'll send it separately to your dorm.

With love,
Your father.

(the letter comes with the breakfast post and five galleons comes in a sealed box that night.)

[Magnus Van Helrov]

Father,

You just appeared in the Daily, I hope it isn’t too much bad publicity for the shop. I most certainly wish the ministry man isn’t turned down now. Most people think the Prophet is being ridiculous anyways lately. I think they’ll forget in a few weeks.

I’m glad I could be of use, it was a small thing to do really. More luck than skill this time. I take no pride in it.

Girls will be not really of my concern for now. If I happen to meet someone then it’s cool but I’m not looking for anyone.

A wise man once told me ‘it’s only a crime if you get caught’. Personally I refuse to lay down and become a dog of this system. Even at school I have to stand my own ground and pretend I am what they want me to be. If it pleases them and I get away without any trouble, then so be it. Still I would not kill an unicorn myself either. They have something very pure about them.

Many thanks for the reward you gave me. It’ll be well spend.

Love,

Magnus