"This is pointless," huffed Jones after being soundly told off by Auror Taylor about his lack of drive.

Of course, he was careful to say this when their boss was out of earshot. Surprisingly, even he wasn't that stupid.

"We'll get better at it," Jean tried to be encouraging but the effect was somewhat lost with her bright red face and breath coming out in pants.

They had just come off the running track, a part of their Endurance Training module. Or, as all Trainees liked to call it, the Torture Module. Because it was designed to push your body. This involved running for long distances, sprinting, even weightlifting. Also casting numerous spells one after another as quickly as you can. The Auror Academy had minimum requirements for all of these and they jad to keep pushing to make them. It was exhausting but oddly rewarding. To most of them, anyway.

Jones hadn't shown any enthusiasm for any of these, except the spellcasting bit. Especially the cross-country running, which they had just finished doing.

Tonks didn't particularly like it either, running around a one mile track for multiple laps was deifntiely not her idea of fun. Her leg muscles were screaming at her and her lungs were raw and burning from all the frantic breathing she had had to do. She had thought that she was reasonably fit and this wouldn't be too difficult but that's what she got for being cocky.

"I think my legs are seizing up," she said, rubbing at her thighs.

"Walk for a lap," Dubois advised her. "It loosens them up after so much hard work."

"It helps by doing more work?" She asked sceptically.

She'd rather just collapse on the grass here. That sounded more productive. However, she probably wouldn't be able to get back up again.

"It really helps, trust me."

"I don't want to set foot on that track again, Taylor might make me do the laps all over."

And she didn't think she'd be able to survive that. Her legs felt like jelly and her knees honestly didn't want to bend anymore. Actually, they didn't even want to support her weight so she sat down. Oh, that felt good, despite her muscles seizing up.

Dubois shook his head. "You're going to regret that."

"Yeah, later," she dismissed. "Right now, my feet are singing my praises."

And they were throbbing. But a good sort of throbbing now that was no longer putting any sort of pressure on them. They were probably covered in blisters too - she was going to have to make a stop at the first aid room again, she didn't have any blister paste left. It was something they all went through a lot of these days. It was so useful but man did it stink.

Jean was now gulping down water like she had been in a desert for weeks. They had all learned their lesson from a few weeks ago; you didn't gulp down water when you'd just been running hard for a long time. Tbat was a surefire way to feel queasy at best and throw up at worst. Between this and the Healing Module, it was amazing that they ever had anything left in their stomachs.

"Come on," Dubois tugged at her hand. "Just a little walk on the outskirts. It doesn't have to be on the track."

"I'm good."

"It really will make you feel better."

"Flopping on the ground makes me feel better."

It really did. It felt like she could just melt into a boneless puddle.

Dubois snorted and shook his head.

"Suit yourself. I am going to warm down and well see who can actually walk tomorrow."

"Don't you mean warm up?" Tonks called after him.

"I meant what I said."

Tonks rolled her eyes as he strode off. Weirdo. There was no way doing more exercise was going to make you feel better. There was just no way.

She turned her attention back to her fellow Trainees. Jean was now soaking wet, she must have poured her bottle of water over her in an attempt to cool down. She should have just done her pulse points- wrists, knees and neck. Hadn't she learnt anything in their Healing module?

Jones, despite not panting as much was still red-faced. Though, it turned out that this was from annoyance and anger and ot from exertion. Though, the amount of sweat he had produced was definitely from exertion. Tonks scrunched up her nose and tried to edge away.

"We're witches and wizards. When are we going to need to run when a spell would work just as well?"

Seriously, did he never grow put of the whining stage? Tonks was pretty sure that toddlers behaved better than this.

They all looked at him incredulously yet he still didn't see anything wrong with his previous statement.

"You do realise that suspects can run and we would have to give chase?" Tonks said slowly.

"That's what freeze charms and petrificus totalis are for. You just stop and aim and you have your guy."

"Not if you're out of range."

"You just have to be quick," he dismissed. "That's what we're training for."

He spat that last bit out, he'd been told off for his lack of speed when casting.

"Giving chase means your spell is more likely to hit and that you'll get him instead of an accomplice," she argued.

"Like you would be able to do that even if you wanted to," he retorted scathingly.

Tobks was about to say soemthing particularly nasty in return when she decided that it woukd be in her best interest to remain quiet. Auror Scrimgeour, Head of the Auror Department, had just approached them. Tonks quickly stood to attention and Jones fumbled for a moment before he realised what was going on. Scrimgeour nodded to them and they relaxed their stance. Only slightly though because the man was frowning. And that was never a good sign.

"Jones, if you have the breath to snipe at your fellow Trainees then you have enough breath to doing another five laps."

Jones stared at the man dumbly.

"Go!" He snapped which finally kicked him into gear and he went off running.

Tonks tried really hard not to smirk. It wasn't nice. It wasn't nice. No matter how satisfying it was.

Good thing she didn't because Scrimgeour now turned back to her, his expression hadn't changed. She gulped.

"Tonks."

"Sir?"

"Nice bit of improvement there, you're steadier on your feet. Make sure you keep improving. An Auror who constantly falls over is no use to anyone."

And with that he swept away without waiting for a response. Which was a good thing because she couldnt think of anything to say to that. All she could do was blush because even the Head of the Aurors had noticed how clumsy she was. In her defense, she wasn't that bad when running unless she had to take a sharp turn or the road suddenly became uneven. Definitely room for improvement but not as bad as when she had first started duelling that target machine either.

"Trainee Tonks! What are you doing standing around?" Auror Taylor bellowed. "The climbing wall's free! Go!"