An Encounter with the Longbottoms

Seeing the patient lapse into a muddled state again, healer Elliot hurried in and sighed helplessly.

"Dumbledore, I'm afraid visiting hours are over."

She glanced sympathetically at the muttering Slughorn and said in a low voice, "Such intense emotional fluctuations are not conducive to his recovery."

Dumbledore nodded and said quietly to Wade, "Wade, may I ask you to leave one of your Golems behind?"

Looking at Slughorn, who was still clutching the Cheetah's foreleg, he said, "The company of these little fellows... seems more effective than sedatives."

With the Golem beside him, even though Slughorn's mind was muddled, he no longer hid himself away in terror.

"Of course, Professor."

Wade waved a hand. The other Golems jumped down from the hospital bed and slipped one after another into the Wardrobe Space, while the Cheetah lazily swished its tail twice and remained sprawled on the bed, letting out only a low call.

Wade walked over and scratched beneath its chin. "You've worked hard, little one... Take good care of him."

Its slender tail curled around his wrist, as if making a promise.

Dumbledore watched the scene quietly.

Harry sighed with some envy—he had a Magic Golem Pet too, a very adorable lion. It was usually obedient and well-behaved, though it occasionally mischievously left a few gray paw prints on his textbooks. He had grown used to playing with the little fellow for a while every night before bed.

But a Magic Golem Pet was completely different from the Golems at Wade's side. Both were thoughtful and intelligent, but the former was like a particularly clever, obedient housecat, while the latter was like a companion who could not speak.

They looked similar, but they were actually entirely different.

The healer looked conflicted. She looked at the Golem's huge size, then at