Weeks passed. Nadiera and Minerva had become virtually inseparable. Padfoot seemed to become a permanant fixture at Hogwart's, and he trailed behind the two witches, trying to make sense of what Nadiera was trying to accomplish by teaching Minerva this channeling business.
A few days before the official beginning of the school term, Padfoot and Nadiera went to the Burrow, the homestead of the Weasley family, where Harry was staying for the rest of his summer holiday. Nadiera had been a bit worried that she was imposing on the Weasleys at first, but soon, she, like anyone else who ever came to the Burrow, found herself feeling right at home.
In the evening, after a huge dinner out in the Weasley's backyard, Padfoot and Harry and Ron went off for a walk. Nadiera was left behind with Molly and Ginny.
"Harry had told us that you have been making progress in teaching Professor McGonagall how to do this different kind of Magic that you do," Ginny said as she went about clearing dishes from the table.
"Let's go inside so we can discuss this some more," Nadiera suggested as she aided Ginny with drinking glasses. When she and Molly and Ginny entered the kitchen, Nadiera continued speaking. "I've been teaching Minerva how to channel the One Power. That's the proper term for it. And I might add, she is a quick study. I bet you might catch onto it just as quickly as she did."
"Really? Do you think I can learn what you do?" Ginny asked.
"Why would you need to learn a different way of doing magic, Ginny?" her mother interrupted.
Nadiera smiled. "Think of it as broadening Ginny's horizons, Molly. In fact, I believe that you would also be able to channel. Who knows; you might be able to contribute very greatly to society because you learned how to channel."
Molly looked dubious, and began washing dishes. She waved her wand, and the dishes began washing themselves. Imagine, she thought suddenly to herself, using magic to contribute something to society! All she ever used magic for was chores! She began to get a bit disturbed about this train of thought. How dare this woman come here and just proceed to tell her that she was wasting her life by using magic in such an everyday fashion!
Ginny, however, was completely undistressed about the idea of learning a whole new way of doing magic. "How can we contribute to society by learning how to channel?" she asked Nadiera.
"Ginny..." Molly began, then stopped when she looked at her daughter's face. It was eager, excited. Did her daughter have more of a future than she did? She hoped that with all her heart. She never really worried that her sons would find a place in this life, aside from an occasional pang or two about her twin sons direction in life. But she worried that Ginny would inadvertantly follow in her footsteps. Not that raising a family was such a waste of time, but she always felt that there was more that she was capable of doing. And it took this strange woman to bring those feelings to the surface again, after all this time. "How are we supposed to begin learning? I mean, Minerva McGonagall has lots of time on her hands now, before the school year begins. I don't have that kind of time to devote to learning this channeling business. She won't either, once school begins." Molly pointed out.
"We can begin right this moment," Nadiera told them. Ginny and Molly stared at eachother, then at Nadiera. "Let me show you..."
By the time Mr. Weasley, Ron, Harry, and the dog came into the kitchen, Molly and Ginny had learned how to embrace saidar. And when it came time to depart, Nadiera smiled and said, "So, I will be seeing you at Hogwart's in a few days?"
Though one would have thought she was only speaking to Ginny, both she and Molly responded "Yes." Ginny also added, "Then, you'll also meet our friend Hermione Granger. I'm sure she'd be interested in learning what you have to teach!"
"Oh, yes!" Harry added emphatically. "Get ready for her to pick your brain about this channeling; she will want to know everything about it," he warned Nadiera.
"I look forward to it, then," Nadiera told Harry. They all made their farewells, and Nadiera departed with Padfoot.
Once they were off the property of the Weasleys, Padfoot transformed back into Sirius. "You were at it again, tonight. I can tell when a person's been doing that stuff; I can feel it in the air. Harry can even see it. I want to know what you're up to; these women have no need to learn how to do your kind of magic, unless you are up to something!"
"You're sounding like Severus Snape, now." She watched Sirius' lovely mouth shrivel in disgust; he hated any mention of his similarity to Snape. Nadiera knew this, and used the knowledge to her favor when arguing with Sirius. "There's nothing to worry about. And, I told you before; if you are so keen on finding out what I'm 'up to,' then you'll tell me why you have to hide who you are to the world!" His mouth looked even more like he'd just bitten into a rotted fruit.
"I...I can't tell you now. Not just yet. It's...complicated."
"Very well," Nadiera said, as if she considered the matter finished.
Later that evening, Nadiera took out her list. She added the names "Ginny Weasley" and "Molly Weasley" to her list. Annoyed with herself, she suddenly realized that she had forgotten to ask the Weasley women if they knew how to get in touch with Narcissa Malfoy. She eyed her list with a considering gaze; if she could count herself, the two Weasleys, Narcissa, and Minerva, she'd already have five. And then, there was the virtual promise of a sixth, Hermione. Would Narcissa and Hermione even be able to channel? And even if they could, would she be able to find any more women who could learn how to embrace saidar?
She had to admit, Molly Weasley's intial hesitation jarred her a bit. She hadn't thought that learning to channel might not work out for many of the girls at Hogwart's. How would she be able to convince more of them to take on the added responsibility of learning to channel the One Power?
She'd have to go to Professor Dumbledore, as much as she hated to do it. She needed his support; he was headmaster of this school. And, maybe he'd be able to tell her more about the Malfoy woman...
The next day, Nadiera found herself in Diagon Alley once again. This time, she managed to get to Lupin's flat without a mishap. Professor Dumbledore had given his consent to her plan, though he had a few misgivings. She had expected that; not many men had the stomach to talk about what her plan entailed. Under the pretense of looking for more clothing to buy, she managed to get rid of both Padfoot and Lupin. She ducked into Madame Malkins', then, a few moments later, tiptoed out of there, and headed for another part of the Alley.
As she looked into the windows of each store, she wondered which of the young girls in them would be her next students. Since she was absolutely surrounded by women who could channel, she had no way of picking out who had the spark born in her and who did not, but could be taught all the same. Nadiera wandered into the hairdresser's, and immediately got swept up into a chair before she knew what was happening. A young witch waved her wand, and Nadiera's blonde hair instantly became saturated.
The Aes Sedai gasped, and another older witch hurried over. "Tsk, these young ones! They have no finesse! At least let's not make the water so cold, and don't get any in her ears, mind!" she demanded of the younger witch, who looked panicked. "Don't you worry, dear," she continued, speaking to Nadiera now. "She's a very good stylist, just a terrible wash girl!"
"I can think of a really cute hairdo for you. I can just take a few inches off..." the young witch continued.
"NO!" Nadiera stammered. "No, don't cut my hair any shorter than it is; I have a hard enough time trying to style it now!"
The young witch shrugged, as if Nadiera was crazy not to want to try her new cute hairdo. She sighed and began with the scissors, controlled with magic, of course. As the young witch snipped away, she chatted mindlessly about her latest spat with her boyfriend. "Blimey, if he don' stop doin' them overnight hours on the Knight Bus, I swear I'm gonna hit the ceilin'! You know how men are! Can't tell 'em nothin' yeh can't!"
"I know what you mean..." Nadiera muttered, thinking of Sirius. She couldn't tell him her plans; Light only knew what his reaction would be. He already thought he owned her, and she could not recall doing one single thing to encourage this behavior in him. She was going to have to have a long talk with him one of these days.
"They always are thinkin' they know best when they don' know nothin'! I keep thinkin' one o' these days, I'm gonna be readin' in The Daily Prophet 'bout how Stanley Shunpike 'as been murdered by dark wizards in the middle o' the night while drivin' that Knight Bus! Oughta be doin' sumthin' else besides that, is my thinkin'! What would you do if yer man kep' doin' sumthin' dangerous?" she aked irritably as she stopped clipping and began curling Nadiera's hair with her wand.
Just as the witch had asked, Padfoot scurried in, as if on cue. Nadiera winced, while other ladies in the Hairdressers squealed with undisguised dismay.
"Who let that animal in here?" the head hairdresser demanded. Her younger subordinates were in a frenzy. Finally, one witch, who had her long pale silver-blond hair in curlers and a blue beauty mask on her face, stood up and made a few purple fireworks crackle through the air to regain order.
"Oh, Madame Malfoy, I am so sorry for this disturbance to your nerves..." her beautician stammered. Nadiera's ears perked up, and even though she was in a state of dishabille herself, she rushed over to Madame Malfoy.
"Aha! You're just the woman I've been looking for! I've been searching for you for weeks!" she told her. Narcissa gave her a cold haughty look, or, as haughty as someone could manages with a blue beauty mask on her face. "I believe that we have a mutual acquaintence that we need to talk about..."