Hey everyone, welcome to another installment of Harry Potter Theory! Today, we’re going to delve into the properties of Felix Felicis, also known as liquid luck, in an effort to uncover the roots of its effectiveness.
What Is Felix Felicis?
First things first, what is it? Felix Felicis, or liquid luck, is a potion that enables the consumer to become successful in all their endeavors. The potion was first created in the 16th century by a potioner named Zygmunt Budge, who referred to it as the crowning achievement of his career:
“Mine own invention, my masterpiece, the crowning achievement of my career. Bottled good fortune. Brewed correctly, to drink of this potion will be lucky in all their endeavors, but be warned, excessive consumption is highly toxic and can cause extreme recklessness.”
Fans of Quidditch were quick to protest that a potion that grants good luck was hardly fair, and its use was banned, quite rightly, from all competitive events—except potion-making tournaments.
Who Was Zygmunt Budge?
Zygmunt Budge was an accomplished wizard and potion maker, considered one of the most successful of his time. He was eccentric, unstable, and vengeful.
Budge studied at Hogwarts in his youth but left school at the age of 14. Afterward, he moved to the remote island of Hermitrae in the Hebrides, where he lived in solitude, conducted experiments, and wrote The Book of Potions, a comprehensive textbook on potion brewing.
In his book, he included the following foreword:
“I am Zygmunt Budge. I am the greatest potion maker ever born. This is no empty boast. I invented many of the wizarding world’s most powerful potions. I discovered the properties of hundreds of secret plants and creatures. I have dedicated my life to the most mysterious and misunderstood branch of magic, and these pages contain the secrets of my art, distilled for new generations of Hogwarts students.”
Budge died at an unknown date, but it has been said that some of his personality lingered in his Book of Potions, acting as a guide to future readers.
The Power of Felix Felicis
Now, it wouldn’t be inaccurate to say that Budge was not a humble man. However, if he did indeed create Felix Felicis, a potion that can render you successful at anything, then perhaps he genuinely deserves the title of the world’s greatest potion maker.
But how does Felix Felicis actually work? The idea that a mere potion could help you achieve anything seems preposterous. It contradicts the very laws of nature, rewrites quantum states, and fundamentally defies the principles of causality and probability.
What Is Luck?
To understand how Felix Felicis might work, we need to define luck. Luck is generally defined as the occurrence of events by chance or fortune, without any specific causal connection or control. It’s a concept used to explain unexpected or fortuitous occurrences that cannot be attributed to one’s actions or abilities.
- Positive Outcomes: Winning the lottery, finding money, or stumbling upon an opportunity.
- Negative Outcomes: Getting caught in bad weather or experiencing a series of misfortunes.
At face value, the idea that a potion could induce luck contradicts the concept of luck itself, which is something that happens by chance.
The Quantum Problem
Let me preface this by saying that I’m not a quantum physicist. However, here’s why liquid luck, by conventional understanding, makes no sense:
In quantum mechanics, the behavior of particles and systems is described by wave functions that evolve over time according to Schrödinger’s equation.
These wave functions represent probabilities of different outcomes. However, the concept of liquid luck that guarantees positive outcomes contradicts the probabilistic nature of quantum mechanics. It would require a profound influence on an individual’s surroundings and interactions, effectively rewriting the entire quantum state of the universe to ensure favorable outcomes.
This level of manipulation of quantum states seems beyond both scientific and magical capabilities. Even magic has its limits; for example, it can’t create genuine love, stop aging, properly resurrect people, or conjure something out of nothing.
Does Felix Felicis Really Work?
Despite these challenges, liquid luck clearly does something. After consuming the potion, Harry was able to achieve an extraordinary number of things in just 2 or 3 hours.
He obtained the uncorrupted memory from Horace Slughorn about Horcruxes, attended Aragog’s funeral, convinced Slughorn to accompany him to Hagrid’s, successfully cast a non-verbal refilling charm, and more.
A Theory on Felix Felicis
I’ve got a theory on how liquid luck really works:
- Psychological Aid: Rather than affecting luck directly, its effects can be likened to a performance-enhancing drug. By instilling the drinker with an unwavering sense of confidence and temporarily altering perception, the potion enables them to tap into their full potential.
- Passive Clairvoyance: Alternatively, it could provide the drinker with a sense of passive clairvoyance. Instead of altering luck, the potion enhances a person’s subconscious ability to foresee potential future outcomes and determine the most favorable path.
Conclusion: What Is Felix Felicis Really?
Whatever theory you like, I believe that Felix Felicis functions as a potent psychological aid rather than a true luck-altering substance. It’s possible that Zygmunt Budge marketed his potion deceptively, hoping it would be seen as powerful enough to disrupt the laws of nature.
So, is liquid luck a magical potion capable of disrupting quantum physics, or is it a psychological aid that induces passive clairvoyance? Let me know in the comments below!
