Chapter 726: Felix Felicis (Edited)

Harry, after getting some rest, told Ron and Hermione about the morning encounter and what Fish had found out.

"It's okay not to go to Professor Slughorn immediately." Hermione nodded approvingly as she stroked the purring tiger-striped cat in her arms.

"In fact, I think it would be better if you wait a few days to let Professor Slughorn calm down..." She looked at the cat in her arms, hesitating for a moment before continuing politely, "It would be better if you could go and apologize to him, after all... well... it's not very pleasant to be sure that the other person aided Voldemort... when you're not sure about the exact memory."

"Nya!"

(=`Д=)

Fish turned his head decisively.

He didn't think he had said or done anything wrong, so there was no way he would apologize to Professor Slughorn!

Harry scratched his head with a bitter smile and said, "Then I'll apologize in a couple of days."

(??=??)

The cat licked its fur and scratched its face, pretending not to hear.

In the past, even if Harry had apologized on his behalf, Fish wouldn't have agreed because in Fish's mind, he wouldn't have apologized even if he had gotten into trouble, let alone if he hadn't.

But now, knowing that it was to extract the truth from Slughorn sooner rather than later, he didn't bother to stop it.

However, Harry's apology plan didn't work out in the end...

He had thought that after the Sunday morning interrogation, Professor Slughorn would distance himself from him and Fish, but Harry had underestimated his eagerness for their gatherings and "collecting" them.

In Potions class on Monday, Professor Slughorn was as friendly as ever and, after Potions, he approached Harry.

"Don't worry, Harry," he said with a kind smile, seeing Harry's unease, "I'm not here to blame you or Fish... I'm sure Dumbledore gave you instructions at the time, didn't he?"

Harry unconsciously nodded.

Professor Slughorn raised an eyebrow, his walrus-like beard wrinkling comically, and continued, "I can understand your urgency. The presence of Voldemort is not a good thing for most wizards and muggles alike, and I would like to do my part if I could."

"So, Professor, are you going to give me the real memory?" Harry asked impatiently, his eyes lighting up.

"Uh..." Professor Slughorn's face momentarily stiffened, and then he immediately said with a dry smile, "I made it very clear to you and Dumbledore that the memory is real, and I really have no clue about the Horcruxes."

"But the white mist..."

Harry tried to argue but was interrupted by Professor Slughorn.

"Oh, Harry, that's just because I can't remember," he said in a tone that sounded sincere but actually made Harry feel like it was hypocritical, as if he had rehearsed his words. "I'm too old to remember things. You have to understand that an old man's memory sometimes fails."

"But..."

"Furthermore!" Professor Slughorn interrupted Harry once again, "I have to apologize to you and Fish," he actually apologized in turn to them, "I didn't mean to be rude to you yesterday morning. It's just that... I got upset when I woke up, and when you reach my age, you get cranky."

He feigned compassion and apologized, making Harry feel too embarrassed to continue asking.

Just as Harry fell silent, Professor Slughorn was ready to make his escape.

"Well, that's it. There's nothing more I can tell you about that memory. I'm having a party in a couple of days, so be there."

After finishing speaking, Professor Slughorn quickly disappeared in front of Harry, leaving him no time to react, only a pair of short legs remaining.

In the time that followed, Professor Slughorn didn't change much, except that every time Harry mentioned Horcruxes and memories, he found an excuse to leave, not giving Harry a chance to say what he wanted to say.

And after following Harry a few times, Fish simply gave up.

But Fish had his own reasons: "Aren't you worried that Fish might say something wrong? Albus won't let Fish do it, and Horace is usually so kind, so Fish won't have an excuse to do it..."

(ΦωΦ)

Fish cheerfully patted Harry's shoulder and said, "So it all depends on you, Harry!"

"By the way, didn't we say before that we were going to try it with the Felix Felicis potion?" Ron asked.

"But as soon as I mention it, Professor Slughorn makes excuses to leave, so even if I use the Felix Felicis potion, it won't work," replied Harry with a sad face.

During this period of time, he also specifically asked Hermione to help him understand the specific scope of what Felix Elixir can do, and he learned that the so-called "good luck" mainly consists of a significant increase in your social, magical, reflex, and other abilities, making people feel that everything is going well.

Of course, the potion has the ability to increase luck or reduce bad luck because one of its main ingredients is called Murtlap tumor, an anemone-like growth that appears on the back of a Murtlap. When eaten alone, it can increase a person's resistance to curses and bad luck.

So, while it's true that Felix Felicis potion can increase luck, it doesn't make things happen; rather, it greatly reduces your chances of failure and guides you to make the best decisions.

But if something is inherently fruitless or even impossible to do, then no potion will help. For example, if Harry drank the potion, it wouldn't immediately kill Voldemort, and if Professor Slughorn refused to talk, he couldn't get anything out of him.

That's why Harry hadn't used the potion; he didn't want to waste such a valuable potion.

"But the potion could also create an opportunity for Professor Slughorn to talk to you." Hermione felt the need to give it a try. "Anyway, you don't have to drink it all if it's just a conversation, you can use it sparingly."

Harry was surprised; he hadn't considered this possibility before.

That's when Fish also spoke up, "It's okay, nya!"

(ΦωΦ)

Fish patted his chest, full of confidence. "You can use it, and then... well... in about three months, Fish will give you another bottle!" Fish counted on his fingers and assured Harry.

Naturally, his confidence came from Snape.

Although the Felix Felicis potion he asked Snape to brew was still in the production process, Fish had visited him a few times, and there was a cauldron full of it! And according to Snape, there were still plenty of ingredients left, and the final product would be at least two standard bottles of the potion.

Harry knew Snape was brewing a potion for Fish, but he didn't want to ask for Snape's potion. God knows if it would have a special effect on him...

It wasn't Harry's imagination. He had seen similar notes in the Advanced Potion-Making book by the Half-Blood Prince: a kind of potion that would work on certain individuals.

Although the notes indicated that it was only an idea of Snape's and not a real formula, it was from his time as a student, and God knows if it had been refined.

Furthermore, Harry assumed that Snape would have had that idea, probably to use it against his father and godfather...

"Uh... that won't be necessary," Harry decisively rejected Fish's offer. "Hermione is right, I only need a sip before going to see Slughorn. It will last me an hour, or maybe just half an hour."

With that in mind, Harry didn't hesitate. He would wait until after curfew and then put on his invisibility cloak and go to Professor Slughorn's office to find him.

Night fell, and Harry took out his vial of Felix Felicis potion and his invisibility cloak. Then he met Ron in the common room, as usual, scratching his head due to the heavy workload.

Only when everyone else had gone back to their dormitories, he took out the shiny bottle from his pocket and took a gulp.

"How is it?"

(ΦωΦ)

Fish fixed Harry with an intense gaze and curiously asked, "Is it delicious?"