Amelie sat in the headmistress's office patiently. Madame Maxime had asked her to wait while she fetched a visitor. Madame Maxime finally reentered her office with an old, wizened man who had a long, silver beard and half-moon spectacles.
"Amelie, this is Professor Dumbley-dore," Madame Maxime said. Amelie's eyes widened in recognition. "He wishes to speak to you about an important matter."
"If that is alright with you, Miss Hollern?" Dumbledore asked kindly.
Amelie nodded her head and Madame Maxime left.
"Your family, Miss Hollern, are old friends of mine. Did you know?" he asked. Amelie shook her head. "Your great-grandmother lived across the street from me. She was good friends with our neighbor, Bathilda Bagshot. She called her Batty," Dumbledore chuckled.
When she made no response, he continued. "Madame Maxime spoke highly of your abilities. She said you are an excellent dueler and potions maker. She has also mentioned that you are eager to help in the approaching war."
"I am, sir," she replied.
"Well I may be able to help there, but only if you are sure you can handle it."
"I am sure I can," she said enthusiastically.
"Wait until you hear what my plan is. You see, my dear, I will not live through this year." He lifted up his arm, which Amelie now noticed looked dead. "I have planned my death. I have asked my old friend to kill me, and he has begrudgingly accepted." Amelie let her jaw drop in shock, and Dumbledore chuckled. "It is either this or watch a young boy who is yet innocent do the deed. I would rather Professor Snape do it. You must understand that this must remain a secret between the three of us. The only reason I am telling you is because this information will have everything to do with your task."
"I understand, sir. I will not speak of it."
"Good. Now then, you graduate at the end of this school year?"
"Yes, sir."
"If you are up to it, your task will be to pose as a student in the upcoming year at Hogwarts. Of course no one will know you have already graduated from Beauxbatons. Your job will be a difficult one. Amelie, I want you to go undercover as a Slytherin. I want you to act like you support the Death Eaters and hate muggleborns. Many Death Eaters have children in the school. A great deal of information can come from them. I want you to get close to them and then report back to Professor Snape. I especially want you to get close to one Mr. Draco Malfoy."
"Why is that, sir?" Amelie asked.
"Because he is the young boy who is supposed to kill me," Dumbledore answered. Amelie gave an involuntary gasp. "His whole family is in Voldemort's inner circle, but I do not believe he is a killer. I hope not…" he trailed off sadly.
"Professor, I would be honored to do this," Amelie said with determination.
Dumbledore smiled softly. "I am glad, but there are a few precautions that you may not like but must take. First, I would recommend that you only see your family rarely once you reach the United Kingdom. Also, try not to show off or draw any attention to yourself. We do not want you to draw the wrong sort of attention. Your meetings with Professor Snape must be secret, and you must learn to act like an Englishwoman."
"How do you act like an Englishwoman?" Amelie asked, thinking the suggestion rather silly.
"Well, we must start with the accent. You cannot sound French. We will place you in Slytherin, and you will try to blend in so no one asks about your past. If worse comes to worse, you will say Severus, Professor Snape that is, is your uncle and now guardian. If anyone asks, you are an orphan and an only child."
Amelie nodded her head. The professor continued. "I would like you to move to the United Kingdom to begin a little training once you have graduated. I will, by that time, be dead, and so I am giving you Professor Snape's address. You will live there while he trains you and then you will go to Hogwarts." Amelie nodded again as he handed her a slip of paper.
Just as the man was getting ready to leave, he turned back and said, "I must warn you that things will soon be much darker. The war will become more violent after my death, and I fear Death Eaters may be in charge of Hogwarts when you get there. Do take great care."
And with those final words, he was gone.