Felix Felicis

Felix Felicis is a potion sometimes called “Liquid Luck.” Until the effects wear off, all the drinker’s endeavours will tend to succeed (HBP9). Once consumed, the potion gives the drinker an exhilarating sense of confidence and a tremendous sense of opportunity (HBP22). However, if taken in excess the potion causes giddiness, recklessness, and dangerous overconfidence, and it is highly toxic in large quantities (HBP9).

Ingredients

Book of Potions:

• One Ashwinder Egg
• horseradish
• squill bulbs
• "anemone-like growth" on a Murtlap
• tincture of thyme
• Occamy eggshells
• Rue

Preparation

Book of Potions Preparation according to Zygmunt Budge, the inventor (BoP)

1. Add Ashwinder egg to cauldron, then add horseradish and heat.
2. Juice several squill bulbs with a mallet, add to the cauldron and stir vigorously.
3. Chop up anemone-like growth on the back of Murtlap, add to mixture and heat.
4. Add a dash of tincture of thyme and stir slowly.
5. Grind up an Occamy eggshell and add to mixture.
6. Stir slowly then heat the cauldron.
7. Add a sprinkle of powdered rue.
8. Stir vigorously then heat the cauldron one last time.
9. Final Step: wave wand in a figure eight over cauldron and say incantation ‘Felixempra!’

History and Notes

• Invented by Zygmunt Budge in the 16th century (BoP)
• Budge shared some of his invention with a Muggleborn lad named Tertius, who went on to find a bag of gold in Diagon Alley as well as a job as a Gringott's curse breaker (BoP).

References from the canon

• Not brewed in class, but used as a reward from Professor Horace Slughorn in 6th year (HBP9)
• Colour of molten gold; while exposed to air large drops will leap like goldfish above the surface without spilling (HBP9).
• A "miniscule" glass bottle can contain enough Felix Felicis to last 12 hours (HBP9).
• The potion is a banned substance in organized competitions such as sporting events, examinations, or elections (HBP9). According to Zygmunt Budge, it is only allowed during potions tournaments (BoP).
• Desperately tricky to make and disastrous to get wrong (HBP9).
• Harry consumed one mouthful of Felix Felicis on the night of Aragog's burial which helped him convince Slughorn to turn over his true memory of Tom Riddle asking about Horcruxes (HBP22).
• It takes six months to brew (HBP24).
• Harry turned over the rest of his supply of Felix Felicis to Ron, Hermione, and Ginny on the night he and Dumbledore left Hogwarts to try to retrieve the locket Horcrux (HBP25).