Bruises ~ In editing

~17~

In just a few weeks, I'm more fit than I've ever been.

Lupin has been teaching me spells, while Moody has been working me like a dog.

"Alright, you can stop now Cassie," Moody calls, as I slow to a stop beside him.

"How was that?" I ask, trying to catch my breath.

My stutter is nearly gone now, only shining through from time to time.

And now, I'm much more of a rock, Moody whipping me into shape, his lack of emotion rubbing off on me, maybe in good ways, maybe in bad.

But now, even when I have the nightmare of Cedric, I don't cry. I haven't cried since about 3 days after starting training with him, which, these days, is a large, well needed improvement. Not that crying is bad, but I was sick of being in this rut where I couldn't control myself from doing it.

Moody looks down at his pocket watch and back up at me.

"Well, come on. Spill it. Surely it was better than last time," I say, my hands on my hips.

My physique, once scrawny from lack of eating from my deep depression, now filled out. My arms have obvious muscles instead of being little sticks, looking like they could break any second.

My legs, once skinny and frail, are now muscular and toned from intense exercise and training.

I've never been more proud of myself, even when I started walking again.

"It's much better than last time."

"Well, come off it, how long?!" I say loudly, tapping my foot.

"About 6 and a half minutes," he says, a small smile on his face.

"6 and a half! Merlin's beard! Last time it was almost 8!" I exclaim, hopping on my feet slightly.

"Oh, I almost forgot! I wanted to show you something!"

He plants his walking stick down, crossing his arms, "Well, alright?"

I close my eyes, focusing hard on what it is I want to change into, when suddenly, I'm much shorter, and I'm looking at Moody's waist.

When I look up, he's smiling down at me, laughter falling from his lips.

"Well I'll be, Lupin showed you how to become an Animagus!"

I quickly turn back into myself, growing back up to normal size.

"You know, I don't say this to just anyone, but I'm proud of how far you've come since you've moved in me."

I feel shock smack me in the face like a hard wind.

"Who are you and what have you done with Moody," I joke, laughing softly.

"I'm serious. You've turned me into a tad bit of a softy I must say," he says, following me as I head to the middle of the track.

"Well come on softy, we don't have time for niceties. I want to be prepared when Hogwarts starts. We've got more training to do."

I train from sunrise to sunset, only stopping to eat and drink water.

As the weeks pass, going back and forth from Lupin and Moody, knowing that once it's time for school to start, I'll be more prepared than I ever have.

The only thing I still can't seem to change is my uneasiness with seeing my scars, so I worked and cast a charm, concealing others from seeing them on my skin. It's only until I can be comfortable with other people seeing them, as I can still see them myself.