Life as I Knew It

Chapter 22--Negotiations

Daphne stood. "You misunderstood completely. There is nothing you have to offer him."

Pansy was amused by Daphne's vehemence. "Oh, you really are in love with him, aren't you? Don't worry, I don't want to take your place as his Dark Lady."

Daphne looked taken aback. Her face stayed frozen in the look of shock, but, for just a moment, something else flashed in her eyes. She took a deep breath and put on a look of conflict. Pansy absolutely believed that this was put on, that Daphne was acting. She just was not sure how much of it was an act. "I'm not in love with him," Daphne said at last. "But you have to admit that it's quite impressive what he's done here. Anyway, I didn't really come here to negotiate, but what is it that you want?"

Pansy had never said that she wanted anything. She was not sure that Daphne or her mystery man could offer her anything worthwhile. "I want to talk to him directly."

Daphne shook her head. "That's not possible."

"Fine, but next time you talk to him, tell him that I want to meet with him face-to-face."

"I think he already knows that. What else do you want?"

"I also want to know why he got rid of me," Pansy said matter-of-factly.

Daphne sighed. "Honestly, it was not intentional."

"So, you do know what happened?"

Daphne blinked rapidly. "No... yes. Kind of. It wasn't intentional."

"I want to know how he did it."

She laughed. "He's not going to tell you that."

"I lived a sixth year. You remember it. And yet you also remember a sixth year here. And it was real, because that's when all the transfer students showed up. How can there be two sixth years?"

Daphne was quiet for a long time. "Do I?" she asked finally. "I don't think I remember another sixth year. I remember fifth year. I remember the Dark Lord coming back. I remember Sirius Black was killed and cleared. What happened sixth year?"

Pansy had never considered that Daphne's memory might be partial, so she really could not remember if Daphne had said anything that displayed knowledge of sixth year. "That's not the point. We were talking negotiations. You tell me what he wants from me and what he's willing to offer me."

Daphne sighed. "He wants your support. You have a gift. For whatever reason, you did not accompany the rest of us to this world, and that makes you special. He's not sure how he wants you to help him. There are a couple options." Every sentence was punctuated by a pause. "It seems to me, though, that the best option is for you to restore everyone's memory, and then let him start again."

Pansy was not sure how much Daphne's opinion counted. "And that is an option that he is considering?"

"Yes. The other option is to get rid of you, either kill you or send you away, and I just don't think you'll go for that."

For obvious reasons, Pansy transferred her wand from her pocket to her hand. "So he's going to be that kind of dark lord?"

"Is there a kind of dark lord who doesn't kill people? I think it's required to achieve a 'dark' label. But to answer your question, yes, he is perfectly willing to kill people who get in his way."

"If you aren't in love with him, where do you fit in with all this?"

"What do you mean?"

Daphne was looking nervous, and Pansy liked that. "Come on, through knowing him you've come to remember things? But nobody else has? Why did he let you in?"

Daphne scoffed. "Because... Dammit, that is a good question. Um, we share similar ideals."

Pansy now knew she was getting somewhere. "No. I don't believe that you just offered that information to someone in casual conversation."

"It wasn't a casual conversation."

"Really? Because there aren't a lot of people around here who are capable of deep thought."

"Well, he's not like the people around here."

"I meant you. Before he restored your faculties, weren't you as vapid and brainless as Tracey and Hermione?"

Daphne gave it some thought. "I guess I must have been."

"You don't remember? Dumbledore always seems to remember."

"So you are working with Dumbledore." Daphne latched onto this change of topic. "That's one of the things we wanted to discuss with you. What is it going to take for you not to cooperate with him?"

Pansy was torn. Before this year, she had never cared much for the headmaster. He had stolen away the house cup from Slytherin in her first year. He had hired a werewolf to teach them, not to mention that oaf Hagrid, who had almost gotten Draco killed. Up until this year, she had fully supported Draco's campaign to have Dumbledore sacked. Now she was getting to know him, and she finally saw that comforting and omnipotent side of him that people always praised. And that led to the real dilemma. Dumbledore was already dead in her world. She finally saw the value of the man, and it was too late. It seemed really wrong for her to hold out on Professor Dumbledore. Without her, he was a sad, useless man, but if she were to fix him, that would inevitably lead to his death. Of course, not fixing him had never really been an option.

Pansy did not necessarily have to make this decision just yet. She could string Daphne and her friend along for a while. It was not yet at the point that Pansy was scared of the new dark lord. She could stay away from Dumbledore until she had decided what to do.

"You said 'we.' 'We wanted to discuss that with you.' So where is he?"

Daphne rolled her eyes. "Pansy, I'm sorry, but you just can't meet him."

Pansy crossed her arms. "It's a dealbreaker."

Daphne made a noise of frustration. "You have no idea the position you are putting me in."

Pansy stood. "I have nothing else to say to either of you unless I can say it directly to him." She walked off, leaving Daphne gaping in her wake.