I apologise for not uploading in about 8 or 9 months! But here's the next bit...
They flew down the stairs three steps at time, instinctively missing the trick steps but still almost falling face down when a bend came. Ron nearly ran right into Neville on the fourth floor however, for once in his life luck was on Neville's side and it was Ron, who tried to dodge, but instead ended up flat against a red velvet tapestry. Although Neville apologised over and over again for being in the way as Ron scrambled around for his scattered books and oddments he still shoved him out the way before sprinting down the staircase again. Harry gave Neville a 'sorry about him' look before dashing after his best friend. If they hadn't been in such a hurry to make it to their next lesson he probably would have made Ron say sorry. But right now they had to make to their "Zanpakutō" class and pray that Captain Hitsugaya wouldn't kill them.
"Faster, Ron! The bell rang about ten minutes ago! Its detention if we don't get there soon!"
"We'd already be there by now if it weren't for Neville back there!"
"Oh, shut up – you know that was you fault."
"Whatever."
They were in the grand entrance hall now; it was empty as everyone was already in lessons. Luckily the front door was ajar and they slid through the crack. "Zanpakutō" was to take place in the grounds. Spotting their class about fifty metres away, they hurried to join the line of students.
"You're late!" bellowed captain Hitsugaya. For a small child his voice was unusually booming and gruff. "Don't ever let me catch you being late to my lesson again. I do NOT tolerate lateness with my own squad, if you think you're an exception, you WILL be punished. Are we clear?"
"Y-yes sir." said Harry and Ron together. Ron looked shaken. This child had a lot more authority than Ron had given him credit for.
"You two in Gryffindor? I'm subtracting ten points each from the total for your tardiness. Now get in line and shut up!"
They were quite scared and immediately did as they were told. Hermione was giving them looks of disapproval, while Malfoy was sneering on the other end of the line. Harry recognized the vice-captain next to the captain – the strawberry blonde with large breasts. She had her lips tightly snapped shut as if trying to force down a large laugh.
"Now as I was saying, you are to address me as 'Captain Hitsugaya' or 'sir'. You all probably think you're being bossed around by some ten year old." as he said this a few people straightened. "Of course you all have no idea but I've had more experience than you will ever have in your short lives!
Confused looks followed, of course.
"What? How old are these people?" thought Harry. "Wait! May be he means he's fought more battles or something."
"Isn't the captain cute?" sang the vice-captain from behind. "Despite what he says, the captain's a child in the Soul Society, but a child prodigy no less! When we first met he –" she said fondly.
"Keep your mouth shut Matsumoto!" shouted Hitsugaya, he looked severely embarrassed. She obeyed but continued to smile from behind.
A child only in the Soul Society! Okay, maybe these people were excessively old.
"Today I'm going to teach you about Zanpakutōs. The word literally means 'soul-cutter' and we use them as our weapons while fighting enemies and keeping the peace in the Soul Society. This is what a Zanpakutō looks like."
Hitsugaya then drew out a katana from a sheath slung on his back. It shone in the sunlight, blinding Harry momentarily. He was expecting something a little more impressive than a simple sword.
"Doesn't look like much, eh?" said Matsumoto.
A few people shook their heads.
"Well of course not!" said the captain as though it was the most ridiculous question he'd heard in his life.
"This is just a Zanpakutō is its unreleased form. You see –" he gazed around the class, "Well, why isn't anyone taking notes?"
Hermione, suddenly recalling the very essence of who she was dived for her back pack and snatched out a quill and immediately began writing something. What a year out of practice does to you, sniggered Harry to himself. The captain lectured about the uniqueness of a Zanpakutō's released form depending on the user and so forth, and they took notes for another half an hour just sitting on the grass.
"Now for something interesting" said the captain, "but first, are there any questions?"
"Sir!" said Malfoy, "do we get to use Zanpakutōs too?"
"Well, obviously not! You're not a Shinigami, are you? You're a wizard."
Malfoy sunk back down on the ground looking disappointed. He wasn't the only one.
"Now take a look at the released form of my Zanpakutō!" The captain took a few steps back, took a breath and chanted, "Sit upon the frozen heavens! Hyōrinmaru!"
Everyone fell back as a great white blaze appeared in front of them. It rapidly rose towards the sky and scattered. Then there was a rumble of thunder followed by a flash of lightening. When everyone looked up the clear, bright September's day had vanished and had left black clouds sprawled across the sky threatening to pelt down heavy rain.
"My Zanpakutō, Hyōrinmaru is an ice element Zanpakutō. It gives me the ability to control all the water in the air, I can mould it to my will and even control the weather."
The class were too startled to say anything.
"Matsumoto, it's your turn" he said.
"But, captain!" protested the vice-captain, "You haven't even shown them your Bankai yet!"
"Freakin' do as I say!" Hitsugaya screamed.
"Alright, alright" she smiled.
Drawing her Zanpakutō from its sheath tucked into her sash, Matsumoto held the sword across her body with her hand hovering over and chanted, "Growl, Haineko!"
In an instant the blade vanished, as if it instantaneously turned to dust. The vice-captain simply stood with the hilt in her hand.
"My Zanpakutō is ash cat, Haineko. The blade turns to ash in its released form and cuts my opponent where ever the ash touches. I can control the movement of the ash with my hilt."
"Wow!" exclaimed Seamus, a few people down from Harry. "That's a massive advantage if no one can see the blades." A few people nodded in agreement.
"You could get them from anywhere, and they wouldn't even see it coming!"
"Indeed, but they could of course dodge it." Said captain Hitsugaya.
"How? They wouldn't be able to see it, right?" said Dean, confused.
"Well, this sort of release is pretty common in the Soul Society, and I still have a lot to teach you before you can understand. Who knows, you may see it in action sooner than you think."
They didn't know what he was talking about, but it was nearly the end of the lesson and the captain prepared to give them homework.
"You won't find any detailed information about Zanpakutōs in your library so I brought a few documents from the Soul Society for you." He said as Matsumoto tossed some heavy scrolls as them.
"Careful, Matsumoto! Those came from squad one's barracks!"
"Whoops! Sorry!" she said, apologetically.
"Read them through by next lesson." He said.
Ron's eye's turned round and he looked up at the captain like he'd just been told to slice his own head off with a Zanpakutō!
"But, next lesson's two days away!" He objected.
"So?" Hitsugaya answered back.
"This scroll's massive!"
"And?" Hitsugaya genuinely didn't seem to be able to see Ron's problem, though the frown on his face was enough to cause Ron to slink back down to his place.
Class was dismissed, and they trudged back towards the castle.