"Valerius's special training."
Harry turned to look at Ron.
"In Defense Against Dark Magic, the vampire teaching assistant threw us into the training ground. No mercy, no regard for bloodlines, just high-intensity attacks."
"If you didn't deflect, you got hit."
Hermione picked up the thread.
"It was a lesson our bodies remembered."
"Muscle memory."
Harry supplied the term.
Hermione nodded.
"Do you know what that means?"
Harry and Ron looked at her.
"It means the professor's theory isn't just a theory anymore."
Hermione spoke faster and faster.
"Under extreme pressure to survive, Malfoy's body bypassed the pure-blood prejudice in his brain and went straight for the most efficient defense."
"Remember, the Deflection Charm is a new spell, not a traditional one. And it was developed through research incorporating Muggle physics."
"Extreme pressure to survive..."
Ron muttered, suddenly shivering.
He looked at the red countdown board hanging on the wall.
"Umbridge's high-pressure schedule."
Ron swallowed.
"Yes."
A flicker of astonishment crossed Hermione's eyes.
"It's been four days."
Harry spoke quietly.
"Only four hours of sleep a day. Intensive memorization, training, exams, rankings."
"Everyone's exhausted."
Hermione's voice carried an indescribably complicated emotion.
"So exhausted their brains don't have any spare capacity to maintain all that arrogance and prejudice."
"When people are utterly exhausted and facing mortal danger, their defenses drop to their lowest."
She looked at the other two.
"All that's left is the instinct to survive."
"And at that point,"
Harry followed her line of reasoning.
"The only lifeline the body can grasp is what's been forcibly crammed into their heads every day lately."
"Frequency matching."
"Force decomposition."
"Energy direction."
Ron slowed his steps.
"Merlin." He clutched his hair. "Umbridge thinks she's taming Hogwarts with scores and schedules."
"But she's actually helping the professor." Hermione tightened her grip on her book