Hermione and Jean had gone out to buy something called takeaway for dinner, leaving Richard alone with Gellert for a while. It fell awkwardly silent as the two women left, and Gellert knew that he had to broach the subjects that Hermione had brushed over before. It wouldn't be right to court a woman without her father's approval with full knowledge of the facts.

'Hermione was hiding something about you.' Richard finally said as Gellert was still figuring out the best way to broach the subject.

'That is true, it's a difficult subject.' He answered. Richard remained silent, forcing the dark wizard to elaborate. 'I was born in 1883 in Germany to an old magical family.' He finally admitted and Richard spluttered.

'Please hear me out. It is a long story that needs to be fully explained before you draw conclusions.' He almost begged, 'I went to Durmstrang until I was 16, then I moved to England for a couple of years. I had ideas to reveal the magical world to the muggles which weren't approved of by those in power but I had forseen the Great War and I believed that wizardkind could stop it.'

'Now that I think about it, your name is familiar. Weren't you like a wizard Hitler?' Richard asked, fear and anger tinting his words.

'Insofar as being German and fighting a war at the same time as him; our ideals and methods were far from similar.' Gellert sneered, a hint of his usual arrogant derision peeking through the contrite mask he wore. Mr. Granger hastily apologised, and Gellert quickly forced himself back into his unthreatening persona.

'After an unfortunate accident during a duel in Britain, I was forced to flee for Europe where I built an army and launched a series of attacks against the statute of secrecy. I admit that I did foray into the dark arts and managed to perform a ritual to extend my youth. Of course, I failed to stop the Great War but it built support for my cause and by then I had forseen the Second War. I was arrested in America in 1926 but I managed to escape in 1927. I openly declared war on the statute of secrecy that year in Paris and I managed to conquer all of wizarding Europe except for Britain. In 1945 Dumbledore defeated me in a duel and imprisoned me in my fortress.'

'I remember you now, Hermione used to talk about that duel.' Richard seemed to be looking for a way out, so Gellert forged on quickly. From here on he became a much more eligible man and he needed to convince Mr. Granger that he could be suitable for his daughter.

'Hermione came to me at the beginning of summer to ask for my help in defeating Voldemort, you see, Dumbledore had been killed and he'd left them with a task that they couldn't complete without someone who understood dark magic. He'd overlooked the effect that researching such things could have on a person's soul and mentality. I'd been alone in prison for over fifty years by then and I'd had a lot of time to think, so when she came I promised to help her.' He took a deep breath, relieved that Richard seemed to be listening now.

He related their story, missing none of the details as Hermione had done. He brushed over his own arrest and subsequent kidnapping, then went into detail over how Hermione had orchestrated his pardon. Then came the difficult part.

'I want you to fully understand who I am, so that you have all the information when I tell you this.' He admitted. He took a deep breath, this was the moment that he could lose the light of his life. 'I have asked Hermione to enter into a formal courtship with me. I know modern society does not believe in such things but it is important to me to seek your blessing.'

Silence reigned over the room as Richard gaped like a fish.

'You're dating Hermione?' He spluttered and Gellert winced at the crude, modern word.

'She is a brilliant witch, powerful and beautiful and intelligent. We challenge each other, we are both academics and we balance one another out in life. She is the light to my darkness, the compassion to my efficiency. I would see her happy and successful in any endeavour she wishes to pursue and I swear that I have the means to provide for her.' He promised and Richard considered him.

'Hermione is a grown woman, it is not for me to judge her decisions. She seems to believe there is something worth chasing in you. You've certainly earned the right to try. But mark my words, wizard or not, if you ever hurt her, I'll hunt you down myself... hey, were your eyes always like that?' Richard's threatening tone changed to curiosity so fast that it almost gave Gellert whiplash and he breathed a sigh of relief as the topic changed to his recently dropped glamour.