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"Endeavours" by online definition states an 'attempt to achieve a goal'.

And as shown in the 6th Harry Potter book, Slughorn states that the potion:

"However, if brewed correctly, as this has been, you will find that all your endeavours tend to succeed."

Assuming this is true, how would it work in one's odds if the lucky potion was drunken by an unlikely candidate, whose aspiration at the time or specific situation was to defeat Voldemort in a 1 on 1 wand battle

Harry himself can be considered reasonable at battle considering his abilities in Defense Against the Dark Arts classes.

But what if this specific person had scarce desirable combative skills, such as Neville or Ron?

If the power level between two combatants was severely unbalanced would their 'endeavour' to defeat Voldemort face to face succeed, or will it ultimately backfire and seek an alternative such as escaping?

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  • I feel this is a gorilla vs. shark question. Or in this variant, a gorilla vs. guppy with a lightsaber. Jan 6, 2014 at 6:26
  • @AvnerShahar-Kashtan well that may be true if you completely disregard it's purpose in building up to my final and intended question..
    – sight ward
    Jan 6, 2014 at 7:20
  • 1
    The devil in the details: "tend to succeed" does not mean "guaranteed to succeed"
    – Izkata
    Jan 7, 2014 at 12:48

3 Answers 3

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It states that endeavours will tend to suceed but it doesn't say how. If, for example, the potion was taken by (as you put it) someone with no 'combatting' skills then it's likely that the situation will be resolved by a non combative means.

I'd suggest that 'luck' would guide to taker of the potion down a path that will favourably influence the outcome of the situation.

Take Harrys taking of the potion, all he had to do was ask Slughorn for the memory but he ended up going to a wake with Hagrid and watching them both get drunk, then he got the memory.

The outcome to any situation or problem isn't always the obvious one that people think it is. Maybe the potion actually 'opens' the persons judgement up and offers them the chance to really follow their instincts down an obscure but ultimately successful path ?

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Hermione states in Half-Blood Prince that luck can only get someone so far. If we're talking about duelling with one of the most powerful wizards of all time, then I'd say that the most Felix Felicis could do would allow the drinker to dodge Voldemort's curses (like Ginny tells Harry she did whilst fighting the Death Eaters in HBP), and possibly increase the drinker's aiming ability when firing counter-spells. But beyond that, I don't think anything can be assumed without heading off the beaten-track of canon and into speculation.

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  • Harry was able to use the Refilling Charm non-verbally with Felix Felicis, which is not something that he could have done in his previous classroom practice. So it makes them better in terms of their nonverbal magic.
    – Kyle V
    Jul 11, 2023 at 3:57
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Felix Felicis only improves luck - it can’t do the impossible.

Hermione explained to Harry when he wanted to figure out what Draco was using the Room of Requirement for that Felix Felicis only provides luck, it doesn’t make someone capable of anything they weren’t theoretically capable of doing on their own.

“I think I’m going to take another swig of Felix,’ said Harry, ‘and have a go at the Room of Requirement again.’

‘That would be a complete waste of potion,’ said Hermione flatly, putting down the copy of Spellman’s Syllabary she had just taken out of her bag. ‘Luck can only get you so far, Harry. The situation with Slughorn was different; you always had the ability to persuade him, you just needed to tweak the circumstances a bit. Luck isn’t enough to get you through a powerful enchantment, though.”
- Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, Chapter 24 (Sectumsempra)

From this, no, it wouldn’t make an unskilled wizard who “endeavors” to duel the Dark Lord able to defeat him despite his great power and Horcruxes. It might ensure a capable wizard who had a chance of defeating him could - but it wouldn’t turn a hopeless duelist into an excellent one. The best effect they could likely hope for is that Felix Felicis makes them lucky enough to survive.

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  • I wouldn't say "it wouldn't turn a hopeless duelist into an excellent one." Harry was able to use the Refilling Charm non-verbally with Felix Felicis, which is not something that he could have done in his previous classroom practice. So it makes them better in terms of their nonverbal magic. Harry already knows some pretty powerful duelling spells capable of downing Death Eaters, so Felix Felicis will further improve his chances of beating Death Eaters.
    – Kyle V
    Jul 11, 2023 at 4:03

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