A/N: I do not own Harry Potter (although I wish that I did (money!! $_$)) all rights go to J.K Rowling, though I'm just borrowing her ideas and adding some of mine.

A new lesson with Snape

Harry and Draco met up with Filch and the rest of the first years at the doors of the great hall. Where professor McGonagall would pick them up shortly. The other students, who had been driven up with the coaches, where probably already inside, waiting for the sorting ceremony.

"Professor Snape told us to join you." Draco said with disgust in response to Filch's look at them. Harry could tell that Draco hated Squibs almost as much as he hated mudbloods.

Harry's eyes swept over the crowd of rain soaked first years, some averted their eyes, but most just looked embarrassed and shy. Harry also thought he spotted a Weasley in the crowd. Yes, there was no mistaking it. The red hair, the second hand robe, the look she gave him was the same her mother had given Harry when Narcissa had come to pick him and Draco up after their first year. Uncertainty.

Not too long after Harry and Draco had joined Filch, the door opened, revealing Minerva McGonagall, in her usual emerald robes.

"Professor Snape has informed you of your situation," she said stiffly. "Move along now."

Anxious to leave the first years behind him, Harry swept through the grand doors into the hall with Draco at his heels.

Their arrival drew some looks of course, but they were quickly dismissed.

Harry and Draco both spotted Crabbe and Goyle at the Slytherin table who were sitting together with Nott, and quickly joined them.

Professor McGonagall apparently had not waited for them to be seated, because the first years were already lined up near the teacher's table at the end of the hall waiting to be sorted by the mangy old hat sitting in front of them.

Suddenly a gap opened just above the rim of the hat, and a loud voice began to sing, raising some gasps among the first years.

Oh you may not think me pretty,
But don't judge on what you see,
I'll eat myself if you can find
A smarter hat than me.

You can keep your bowlers black,
Your top hats sleek and tall,
For I'm the Hogwarts Sorting Hat
And I can cap them all.

There's nothing hidden in your head

The Sorting Hat can't see,
So try me on and I will tell you
Where you ought to be.

You might belong in Gryffindor,
Where dwell the brave at heart,
Their daring, nerve, and chivalry
Set Gryffindors apart;

You might belong in Hufflepuff,
Where they are just and loyal,
Those patient Hufflepuffs are true
And unafraid of toil;

Or yet in wise old Ravenclaw,
if you've a ready mind,
Where those of wit and learning,
Will always find their kind;

Or perhaps in Slytherin
You'll make your real friends,
Those cunning folks use any means
To achieve their ends.

So put me on! Don't be afraid!
And don't get in a flap!
You're in safe hands (though I have none)
For I'm a Thinking Cap!

The great hall burst into applause, which the Slytherin's only participated only half-heartedly in. The new first years were equally sorted in their new houses (Weasley obviously in Gryffindor), and as usual, the headmaster, Albus Dumbledore, rose from his chair for his yearly speech.

"To our first years, welcome. To our older students, welcome back. Now, there is a time for speeches, but it is not now. Dig in!" The headmaster re-seated himself and gave the golden plate before him his order, which was the starting signal for the beginning of the year feast.

After Harry, Draco, Crabbe, Goyle and Nott had eaten their full, they left for the dungeon, where Draco, Crabbe and Goyle and Nott left for the common room, and Draco took a turn to Professor Snape's office.

"Evening Potter," Snape said appearing in the hallway behind him. "I severely hope for you that you have practised this summer or else you will suffer my….displeasure."

With a whip of his wand, Snape opened the door to his study.

"Now," Snape said drawing his wand so fast Harry had no time to react. Immediately an enormous pain exploded in Harry's left arm. He screamed, but heard no sound coming out. When Harry looked down, he saw that his left arm was broken in at least two places.

"Show me what you have learned Potter, and what you have remembered."

Snarling, Harry took out his wand, and began fixing his arm.

"A warning would have been appreciated." Harry said barely able to hide a snarl.

"Life does not give warnings." Snape said studying Harry's work on his arm. "Never lower your guard Potter."

When Harry had fixed his arm again Snape once again drew his wand.

"Again!"

This time however, Harry was prepared, and raised his wand in defence.

"Protego Horribilis!"

The shield appeared just in time, and as it formed, Harry saw two cracks appear in his purple round shield, what would have been his arm if he had not summoned the shield.

"Acceptable, acceptable." Snape muttered under his breath. "Again!"

For the next hour, Harry was dodging spells, blocking powerful jinxes and mending his own body when Snape managed to reach it.

"Your work is acceptable Potter, and your healing even exceeds my expectations."

Harry grimaced and flexed his arm which had been broken a minute ago. Snape smiled.

"I promised you last year that we'd be handling more offensive spells, as your only true offensive spells at the moment are mere stunners and irritating jinxes which are harmless to stronger opponents." Abruptly Snape turned his heel and left the office. "Come with me." Snape said.

Harry followed the potion master through the torch lit dungeon, where Harry was just in time to hear his teacher talking to Nott, who had probably been lurking in the hallway.

"…you will return to your dormitory now Nott." Snape said softly but firmly. "I will know if you lurk around here any longer."

Giving Nott a meaningful glare, Harry followed Snape through deserted corridors, torches making eerie shadows as the two passed by. Snape led Harry up just as deserted stairwells, to finally reach the astronomy tower.

The night was cloudy and cold, but Harry could still see a patch of the moon shining through.

"Stand back." Snape ordered as Harry arrived on the tower.

Snape drew his wand and starting to begin intricate wand movements.

"Tempestas, ego, imperio"

Suddenly Snape's wand flew up, pointing to the sky, followed by pure blue and white lightning crashing out of the wand he was holding. His robe was billowing behind him as wind covered the astronomy tower. Snape's normally dirty hair was blown backwards but as a jet of lightning soared up the sky into the clouds, he remained steadfast.

It was over as soon as it had begun. Snape lowered his wand and returned to Harry.

"Beautifulll!" The voice in Harry's head whispered, but he ignored it.

"This, will be the spell you will be training to master this year Potter." Snape said with a smirk.

Harry just realised that his mouth has hanging open and closed it.

"I? Will be controlling that?!" Harry asked incredulously. He couldn't believe his ears.

"Yes" Snape said emotionlessly. "Is there a problem?"

Harry quickly gathered himself together.

"No sir, not at all."

This seemed to satisfy his teacher.

"Good. Don't think that this is going to be easy however. This will probably take you the whole year to master."

"I understand sir, but if I may ask, how strong is this spell?"

"Its weak." Snape said in the cold emotionless voice.

Harry was sure he had misheard it.

"Weak?!" he managed, and realised his mouth was hanging open again.

"Yes Potter, Weak!" Snape said coldly. "Just that it looks great does not mean that it is powerful."

"Can you explain that please?" Harry managed. Snape sighed.

"It does indeed look great, but lightning is and remains a force of nature. Not unlike stunning spells. Those are magical in nature. Lightning can cause great damage to your opponent, but it can very easily be blocked by shield of pure magical origins."

"Now," Snape continued. "I don't say that this spell cannot break through a simple shield charm, but an advanced shield charm such as your own can hold back its destructive might. This is only the first step however."

"The first step?" Harry inquired curiously.

"Yes Potter," Snape said, looking glad that Harry caught up to this part. "This spell consists of two parts, the simple form and the compressed form."

"The compressed form sir?" Harry asked.

"Mind that you wont be dealing with the second form until next year, but an explanation will do for now." Snape explained. "What you just saw, was the first form, it was one solid jet of lightning. The second form however, compresses the lightning, turning it into very small thread like lightning rays with a very destructive might. The spells true nature comes into play here."

"What would that be?" Harry asked anxiously, unable to hide the desire in his own voice.

"Magical shields are solid, single jets clash into it and are stopped, but if the compressed lightning is properly done, it can slide through the tiny microscopical holes into a shield, also knows as air vents."

"What are air vents?" Harry asked, feeling his throat dry.

"Though of pure magical origin, all shields have tiny microscopical air holes which allow air to pass through. This and this only is the reason why gaseous spells can slip through the simple shields. Gasses surround the caster and mix with the oxygen the user needs. The compressed lightning, if done properly mind, can also use these vents. Stronger shields, which also turn off your air supply, are the only ones which can stop this spell. That is why great wizards, such as Dumbledore or the Dark Lord always prefer to use magical evasions or shields that close of the oxygen."

"Water YA doin' here, this time o'night?

In his desire not to miss a word from what his teacher said, Harry had failed to hear the footsteps of Argus Filch, the Janitor, coming up the tower.

"Its all right Argus," Snape said softly. "Mr. Potter and I were just having….a chat."

"Don't you worry Argus" Snape continued as Filch opened his mouth. "I will escort Mr. Potter back to his dormitory now."

Motioning Harry to follow him, Snape glided down the stairway, leaving Filch on the astronomy tower.

As Harry entered the Slytherin common room, it was no surprise to him to see Draco and Nott still awake and alert in the heavy chairs in front of the fireplace.

"You were listening?" Harry inquired, noticing the wands lying on the table in front of them.

"Of course." Nott said.

"Naturally." Draco replied.

"Goyle and Crabbe already went to bed, as they still cannot muster the scrying spell."

"It looked cool though, how he blasted the lightning up of course!" Draco said impressed.

"Pity that he forced us down to our bodies with that." Nott said disappointed.

"What?" Harry spoke incredulously. "The lightning broke through the scry?"

"I think so." Draco said. "We were floating in the sky watching you, when suddenly this lightning storm came at us, and the next thing we knew we were sitting here again."

"Of course we immediately put the scrying back on, but once we had reached the astronomy tower again, you had already been caught be Filch."

"Filthy Squib." Draco muttered.

"The lesson was over anyway.." Harry said disappointed. He had really wanted to get started right away. Furthermore, he did not know the wand movement and did not remember the full incantation, so practise in the dormitory was off too.

"Well, there is nothing we can do anymore now," Harry continued. "So I'm off to bed."

Draco and Nott muttered their agreement and followed Harry up the stairs, and while everybody else was sound asleep a few moments later, Harry could still only think about Snape, casting lightning into the evening sky.

A/N

Well, another chapter is up, I hope you all liked the chapter, as well as my made up Nature-magic theory…at least I thought it made sense..:P

I still have loads of ideas for future updates, but ideas are always welcome.

Of course the next chapter will contain some more Gilderoy Lockhart (seriously detest the guy, although he does play a good role in the movie) as well as Harry's first attempt to master "Tempestas, ego, imperio" Which literally means "Storm, I, Command" in latin (had to find a good name, and this one didn't seem too bad). As always R&R and see you in the next chapter which will be called "Gilderoy Lockhart".