[Helga Hufflepuff's Cup (damaged): The personal possession of Helga Hufflepuff, one of the founders of Hogwarts. Before it was damaged, it might have had some special magical power, but now it's just an ordinary cup.]
Tom played with the golden cup in his hands. This cup once belonged to Helga Hufflepuff, but it later became one of Voldemort's Horcruxes, and now it was simply an ordinary cup with nothing special about it. Although calling it ordinary wasn't entirely correct because, magic aside, the cup was made of pure gold and still had significant value.
At this moment, there was a very noticeable reddish-brown streak on Helga Hufflepuff's cup, as if it were oxidized. Yes, gold can also oxidize! Although gold itself is chemically very stable, it has a strong chemical affinity with sulfides and can adsorb hydrogen sulfide gases from the air, resulting in the appearance of dark colors like oranges or reddish-browns on its surface. Furthermore, not to mention the limitations of ancient manufacturing techniques, gold often contains impurities.
Tom knew that this mark was probably caused by Godric Gryffindor's sword, a very valuable sword made by goblins, which had the ability to absorb things that would make it stronger. Who knows how many poisonous magical creatures Godric Gryffindor had killed with this sword, as it only needed one thrust to destroy a Horcrux, no need to strike it twice.
"Have you discovered anything interesting?" Hermione leaned bored on Tom's shoulder, playing with her hair while looking at the cup in his hands.
"If you'd like, you can drink from it." Tom rested his cheek against Hermione's bun, nuzzling her playfully and whispering in her ear.
"No, thanks." Hermione didn't like the idea of drinking from a cup that had once been a Horcrux of Voldemort, so, of course, she wouldn't use it for drinking.
"Very well, as you wish..."
Hermione still wanted to say something, but her face suddenly turned red. She spoke quietly but hurriedly, "Tom, please... it's a public place..."
"Oh? How do I recall that someone has ever been in a library... [oh]?"
Hermione's face was now as red as the sunset.
"It was an accident..."
"An accident?"
"Yes!"
...
While the two were playing, Professor McGonagall suddenly appeared, startling them.
"For making noise in the library, five points deducted from Ravenclaw." Professor McGonagall was also young at some point, and she knew perfectly well what mischief these two young couples had in mind, so she showed no mercy and deducted points from both of them.
"Mr. Yodel, after tonight's dinner, come to my office." After punishing them a bit, Professor McGonagall said calmly.
Tom: ???
His mouth could have held an egg at that moment.
"Professor McGonagall, you must have made a mistake. How could it be me? You'd better choose someone else, and if it's Hermione, let me decline on her behalf." Limited by the confidentiality agreement, Tom couldn't reveal too much, but he chose to playfully hint to Professor McGonagall to choose someone else.
Yes, before the start of the second task of the Triwizard Tournament, the organizers would find the most valuable person to each champion and submerge them in the depths of the Black Lake. The champions would have to pass a series of tests to rescue the most valuable person to them.
Tom felt this was ridiculous. Who was the most valuable person to the champions? Wouldn't the organizer decide that?
Although it was a bit idealistic, Tom simply accepted the situation. But was it too absurd for him to be chosen? Did he have any connection to any of the three champions? Tom thought Dumbledore was up to something.
Professor McGonagall looked at Tom, not saying much more, then left the library, leaving Tom sitting there with a bewildered expression.
"So, what's the content of the second task? Why are you so angry?" Hermione asked, very curious. Both of them were sitting in a corner of the Charms classroom, allowing themselves a quiet and relaxed conversation.
This class was perfect for getting distracted, as they were practicing the Banishing Charm, the opposite of the Summoning Charm, which could send objects away from the wizard. So the classroom was a bit chaotic, which allowed them to speak quietly.
"There's no problem in telling you..." Tom explained to Hermione the reason Professor McGonagall had sought him out.
"Honestly, it surprises me because I don't understand why they chose me. If they had chosen you, it would make sense, but why me?"
Hermione: ...
"Maybe you're the most important person to Miss Delacour," she said sarcastically.
"Are you kidding?!" Tom was surprised, "The most important person to her would be her sister!"
"How do you know she has a sister?"
Tom: ...
They couldn't talk anymore that day.
In the end, Tom went to Professor McGonagall's office at night. When he opened the door, he found Cho Chang, Luna, and Professor McGonagall waiting for him.
Tom raised an eyebrow; it was clear now. Hermione was right. Cho Chang was the most valuable to Cedric, Luna to Krum, and, by process of elimination, he was the most valuable to Fleur.
"Professor, there must be some mistake..." Tom felt uncomfortable. What was going on? Why had they chosen him? How would he explain this to Hermione?
Professor McGonagall finally revealed the truth to Tom. It turned out that the organizers had the chance to meet with the three champions and had hypnotized and interrogated them. Then, they modified the memories of the three.
The most important people to the champions were determined from the results of the interrogation.
Upon hearing this, Cho Chang blushed, Luna's eyes shone with joy, but Tom's eyes were filled with fear.
Seeing Tom's stunned expression, Professor McGonagall cleared her throat. "Yodel, you're not actually Miss Delacour's first choice... it's just that her first choice left Hogwarts some time ago and is not available now. So we turned to the person she considers most important or longs for the most."
Professor McGonagall seemed to be suppressing a laugh. "Miss Delacour has many grievances against you."
Tom's face became very interesting: all because he declined her dance invitation? Really?
"I hope you can help us, Yodel," Professor McGonagall said with a serious look.
"What if they don't end up rescuing me?" Tom thought maybe Fleur, upon seeing him at the bottom of the lake, would decide to leave him there.
Tom: ...
Reluctantly, Tom finally drank the potion offered by Professor McGonagall and fell into a deep sleep.
The next morning, the competition began as planned. The stands by the lake were filled with students from the three schools, and beneath the stands were a series of small wooden cabins surrounding the lake.
Students chatted and speculated about what was inside the cabins.
"There's probably a wizard in each room, and the champions will have to defeat the wizard to move to the next floor."
"But there aren't enough wizards for that... Are some older students involved in the challenge?"
"It doesn't seem like it; I didn't see any older students missing."
As Hermione listened to the buzz around her, she felt uneasy. She didn't understand how her boyfriend suddenly became the most important person to another woman. Tom hadn't had time to tell Hermione the truth before Professor McGonagall interrupted. If Hermione knew that Tom was Fleur's "Plan B" and was included on the list because he rejected Fleur's invitation, she would surely burst into laughter.
But she felt relieved because Tom was her partner now.
What more could Fleur do if Tom Yodel liked Hermione Granger more? Tom Yodel's first kiss wasn't from Fleur but from me, Hermione Granger!
When the three champions gathered, they looked at each other without saying a word.
There was nothing more to say. The three were completely puzzled about the challenge ahead.
After the first task, they didn't get much information about the second. Now, standing by the Black Lake, all three had a bad feeling about what lay ahead.
As everyone gathered, Ludo Bagman stood in a prominent spot in the stands and began explaining the rules of the challenge.
"First, we'll review the results of the three champions in the first round of the competition. Cedric Diggory scored 88 points in the first event, taking the first place. Viktor Krum from Durmstrang scored 40 points, taking second place. Fleur Delacour from Beauxbatons, 32 points, needs to improve her score." Ludo Bagman was radiant and excited.
His excitement was simple: he no longer had to pay his debts!
At the final of the Quidditch World Cup, he owed goblins a large amount of money. These goblins had very powerful connections, and even he, as a high-ranking Ministry of Magic official, didn't dare not to pay them. So he had to find a way to pay them. But recently, Gringotts had a crisis, and a group of high-ranking officials were arrested, including some of his creditors.
With no creditors, naturally, he didn't have to pay, so he was very happy.
"In the second challenge, the champions must overcome trials to rescue the most important and beloved people in their hearts, their 'treasures,' who are now... there," Bagman shouted loudly while pointing at the lake.
"Yes, in the bottom of the lake! We've sunk the most important people for the three champions into the lake. They have three hours to retrieve what has been taken from them. If, after three hours, they haven't succeeded... hehehe." Bagman chuckled maliciously, not mentioning the consequences for the three after that time.
The three champions immediately looked towards the lake, but all they saw was the dark water with nothing else.
The black water of the lake seemed capable of engulfing all hope and life. No one knew what lay beneath the water's surface, and this challenge could be enough to make someone with thalassophobia die of fear on the spot.
As they gazed at the deep and seemingly endless surface of the lake, Fleur's face turned pale. In her mind, the person submerged in the Black Lake had to be her younger sister. Due to the magnitude of the commotion caused by Voldemort and his Death Eaters, Fleur had sent her sister home to keep her safe. She wondered how she could be involved if she had already sent her sister back home.
Both Krum and Cedric looked uncomfortable, quickly seeking solutions and ways to stay underwater for several hours.
"We've said that the advantage gained in the first task would carry over to the second, so now, please approach, the three champions. The organizing committee has provided you with some small items that may assist you in solving this challenge," announced Bagman to the three.
Immediately, the three approached him.
Bagman made a hand gesture, and a table appeared in front of the champions with two objects on it. On the left, there was a mass of greenish-gray intertwined rat tails, and on the right, a metal canister with a meter and a connected breathing apparatus, along with a small booklet.
Cedric, coming from a wizarding family, was puzzled by the object on the right but recognized the plant on the left as "gillyweed," which allowed people to breathe underwater.
Both Fleur and Krum had some knowledge of the Muggle world and recognized the objects on the table as scuba diving equipment used by Muggles. It was self-contained underwater breathing apparatus equipment that allowed divers to breathe freely underwater.
"What you see in front are two small items that can help you. The 'gillyweed' on the left requires 30 points to redeem, and the scuba diving equipment on the right needs 20 points. But wait, there's more to say. You can't enter the Black Lake directly; first, you must go through those cabins. But we can simplify that process by using points!" Bagman stopped Cedric when he was about to take the "gillyweed," indicating that he should listen to everything first.
"In those cabins, there are three levels of tests, but you can choose to skip the tests by spending points. One test can be skipped for 30 points!"
Upon hearing this new rule, the three champions immediately began calculating in their minds.
There were only two items available, which meant that if the first two champions chose them, Fleur, who was in third place, would have no chance. But Krum's score was a bit awkward; if he bought the item, he couldn't skip the test, and if he got stuck in the test without being able to get out, it would be a problem.
The items also had advantages and disadvantages. The "gillyweed" was better than scuba diving equipment. In addition to the unknown ability of the three wizards to use scuba gear, just the weight of the scuba gear made them reconsider: if they chose it, they would have to carry it while completing the tests. If there were intense physical tests, they would definitely be exhausted.
"Well, let's decide in order of the score. Mr. Diggory, have you made a decision?" Bagman looked at Cedric with some expectation. Cedric thought for a moment and made his decision.