"Interesting, this is the first time I've seen this kind of magic," Tom whispered softly, as if speaking to himself.
His voice was gentle, but it startled Fleur.
"Are you a living person?! Can you talk?" Fleur looked at him in disbelief, questioning his existence. She had always believed that the Golden Knight was a puppet with advanced magic.
But if he could speak, that meant the Golden Knight was actually a living person. Analyzing his words, it was evident that he could also think independently. That implied he had intelligence. Magical objects with intelligence were extremely rare. Throughout Hogwarts, excluding portraits, there was only the famous Sorting Hat left. It seemed like a waste to create a puppet like this just for a match.
In the magical world, all magical objects have a certain degree of "intelligence." For example, the Weasley family's dressing mirror compliments those who look into it and points out any inconveniences in their appearance. It seems very much like artificial intelligence, but in reality, it's just a facade. It has intelligence, but not complete intelligence. The mirror can comment on the outward appearance of clothing but won't scream if a cockroach passes by. It can only make remarks about the external appearance of attire.
In reality, it's a "fake artificial intelligence."
Magical objects with true intelligence that can think independently are extremely rare, and the Sorting Hat is one of them.
That's why Fleur believed that there was a living person beneath the armor.
In the non-magical world, there's a joke: behind vending machines, there's a busy employee. That joke is very fitting for the current situation.
The spectators on the field only believed that the Golden Knight was a magical object because they couldn't hear the conversation between the two. If they had heard the conversation, they wouldn't think that way.
"In fact, I am a living person," Tom nodded.
After getting an affirmative answer, Fleur's expression became somewhat strange.
Although she had already suspected it, confirming it was shocking. Furthermore, even though his voice was somewhat subdued, it was very familiar...
"Are you Tom Yodel?" Fleur tentatively asked.
Tom: ...
As expected, girls are perceptive. Not to mention Krum, who is a bit foolish, Cedric had been talking to him for a long time and didn't seem to have discovered his identity, even accepting the task of finding Hermione!
Tom misinterpreted Cedric. Cedric had recognized Tom a long time ago, but he was only pretending to be confused, after all, all of his movements were being broadcast live.
Tom's silence was equivalent to confirmation. Fleur couldn't help but click her tongue; she had known for a long time that Tom Yodel was someone out of the ordinary, but the show he had put on far exceeded her imagination.
"What is this? A golden suit of armor?" Fleur, like a curious child, asked many questions.
She did it on purpose. She hoped to get information from Tom during the conversation, the more, the better.
Tom shook his head. Gold? He couldn't afford it. Although magical silver was a noble alchemical material, it was much cheaper than gold.
"It's not gold, so what is it?"
Tom closed his mouth, feeling that Fleur was talking too much.
"We've talked enough," Tom coldly interrupted Fleur's questions.
Tom's tone made it clear that his plan to gather information had failed. Once Fleur calmed down, she suddenly realized something: if Tom Yodel was behind all of this, then... that disgusting chest from earlier...?
"Hey, was the chest under the tree your idea?" Fleur felt her heart burning.
"Yes," Tom replied, looking at Fleur. "Moving someone else's belongings without permission is extremely rude, especially when I placed that under the Whomping Willow."
Fleur: !!!
How despicable! Tom's words made Fleur furious, and a wave of genuine anger rose within her: she had endured him locking the chest, she had endured him playing with her emotions by making it empty, but she couldn't endure him putting Stink Eggs in the chest!
"Desmaius." She raised her hand and cast a spell, but Tom easily dodged it.
"It's useless." Tom rushed towards Fleur, raising his staff with the intention to attack.
After lifting his staff, Tom felt something tangled around his arm. He looked to the side and found a black rope entwined around his arm.
The culprit was the smoke witch that Fleur had summoned.
"A summoned being immune to physical harm, but your natural nemesis," Fleur smiled satisfactorily. "Drop your weapon!"
"A summoned being immune to physical harm, but your natural enemy," Fleur smiled with satisfaction. "Expelliarmus!"
While the smoke witch distracted Tom, Fleur attacked Tom surprisingly, and a disarming spell accurately hit Tom's staff hand, making it release and fall to the clearing a short distance away.
"Surrender," Fleur rejoiced. "And I'll give you a chance to join me."
Tom: ???
What is this woman thinking? Does she really believe I'll surrender just because I lost my magical silver staff?
Tom drew his wand with his other hand and exclaimed, "Atmospheric-ventus!"
Instantly, a light breeze swept through the area and rapidly expanded, engulfing the smoke witch.
If you're physically immune, I'll use magic to face you.
The smoke witch had no chance against the whirlwind and was dragged into it, turning into swirling black smoke and could no longer maintain her witch form.
Then, Tom didn't even look at her; he simply cast a disarming spell that hit Fleur's wand, making it fly away. At the same time, Fleur's curse also reached Tom, but it was blocked by the shield charm on his armor.
Fleur: ...
"I am a wizard, Miss Delacour," Tom looked at Fleur in bewilderment. "Why do you think losing my staff means I am defenseless?"
Fleur fell silent. She admitted that she had gotten carried away and had forgotten Tom's true nature as a wizard...
When Tom drew his wand, the audience in the Quidditch field erupted into cheers. A wand meant that the golden-armored knight was actually a living person.
Such a brave and vigorous knight turned out to be a living person and a volunteer from all three schools. This fact surprised all the students present.
So, who could that golden-armored knight be? The intrigue was present, but most of the young wizards at Hogwarts already had an answer in their minds.
Who else could it be but him?
Although it was surprising, it seemed reasonable.
At the edge of the Forbidden Forest, the conversation between Tom and Fleur continued.
Looking at Fleur, who was silent with tightly pressed lips, Tom gave her a choice: "Either you help me find Hermione or I'll take you back to the Quidditch field. You decide."