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Felix Felicis has been criticized as a narrative hole in the Harry Potter series, however, the books explain why liquid luck would not have helped Harry fight Lord Voldemort.
Felix Felicis, the luck potion, addressed one of Harry’s issues in the Harry Potter books, although it couldn’t be used on all of his excursions. The Boy Who Lived had a lot of terrible luck throughout his life, prompting some audiences to believe that if he had simply taken the beneficial potion more often, he could have averted a lot of trouble. The Harry Potter books, however, make it clear that this was not an option.
Felix Felicis, sometimes known as “liquid luck,” debuted in Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince when Harry won a tiny bottle full during his first Potions session with Professor Slughorn.
He had been hesitant to use the substance at first, but after failing to persuade Slughorn to give up his Horcrux memories, he understood that Felix was his only option.
The potion insured that everything went his way and taught him what to do and say to get the desired outcome. Such a power would have undoubtedly aided Harry in his war against Voldemort, but it wasn’t that simple.
According to the Harry Potter books, Felix Felicis is dangerous in excess.
Throughout the Harry Potter series, Harry was always in danger, so the revelation in Half-Blood Prince that a luck potion exists in the wizarding world left many wondering why it wasn’t used all the time.
Surely Slughorn could have concocted some for James and Lily Potter to use when they realized they were being pursued by Voldemort, and perhaps even the Dark Lord himself would have considered using some to ensure that his evil plans went as planned. However, the Harry Potter books explained why this would have been a terrible idea.
Professor Slughorn stated that large amounts of liquid luck were harmful. He didn’t say exactly what would happen if someone overdosed, but the connotation wasn’t good.
Furthermore, the Potions master stated that people who take Felix Felicis too frequently are prone to becoming overconfident and losing their natural sense of self-preservation.
If they were too accustomed to liquid luck guiding them, they would forget that they were not invincible. He dubbed it “too much of a good thing,” and even greedy Slughorn didn’t think it was worth the risk.
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Felix Felicis Is Difficult To Make (And Can Be A Disaster If Done Wrongly)
Felix Felicis may have been too risky to consume on a daily basis, but it seems like Harry could have used the potion at least a couple more times than he did. Professor Slughorn, after all, admitted to taking liquid luck twice in his life.
Even still, this was most certainly significantly more than the usual magician. Slughorn, as a Potions master, would have been able to manufacture it for himself, but other people would not have. The brew is very complex, and while the professor never revealed the specifics, he made it clear to his pupils that it would be disastrous if done properly.
Of course, since Hermione proved in her second year at Hogwarts that she had what it took to brew complex potions, it’s easy to assume she could have done it. Even Hermione struggled with the kind of brews demanded of pupils in the N.E.W.T level classes.
This became a cause of controversy in Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, as Hermione struggled to keep up while Harry breezed through the lesson using Snape’s outdated textbook. Felix Felicis was above even this level, so even Hermione could not have pulled it off with confidence.
What Happened If Harry Took Too Much?
The Felix Felicis episode, which unveiled a side of Harry not seen before, was one of the most amusing moments in Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince.
While the Boy Who Lived was far from meek, the confidence that liquid luck bestowed upon him was out of this world – and it’s easy to see how this could have escalated had he continued to drink the potion. More than likely, Harry would have gotten overconfident in himself, endangering himself and others.
Furthermore, the wizarding world’s magic worked in mysterious ways, and people like Harry who did things the right way were frequently rewarded by fate, while those who cut corners met their doom.
Dumbledore, Grindelwald, Voldemort, and a slew of others discovered the hard way that the most tempting kinds of magic frequently resulted in anguish and despair. Of course, they played with Hallows and Horcruxes, but if Harry Potter’s hero had attempted to employ Felix Felicis as a quick solution to his troubles, he would never have won.