They Could Be So Alike

"Golden in color, shimmering with light... This is the finest quality Felix Felicis!"

"We caught it at the perfect time. This is the night of the fullest moon of the year..."

"Based on last Christmas's prices, a bottle this small is worth at least 500 Galleons. There are twelve bottles here! Merlin above!"

"..."

Slughorn eagerly portioned out the Felix Felicis. The flowing golden light filled the glass bottles; the glass was crystal-clear, the liquid glittering. Anyone could tell they were valuable little treasures!

Once he had finished bottling it, Slughorn faced another dilemma: how should it be divided?

Ashwinder eggs, horseradish, sea onion... He had prepared every ingredient for the Felix Felicis himself. The cauldron, glass bottles, and other equipment had also been his, and he had completed all the earlier steps himself. On the surface, it seemed he had contributed a great deal.

But he knew perfectly well that this cauldron of high-quality Felix Felicis had succeeded thanks to this student, who had shortened the brewing time and lowered the difficulty of the process... Compared to the precious Sand of Time, those ingredients were hardly worth mentioning.

The filled glass bottles stood in neat rows, their brilliant golden glow swaying softly like a line of orderly candles.

Loren waited quietly at the side, smiling gently and courteously.

"Have I ever told you that you resemble a student I once taught...?"

"No, sir."

"..."

Slughorn looked at him for several seconds, then reached out to straighten the bottles of Felix Felicis. His slightly plump, pale face was full of worry, and his tone carried a deep reluctance. "I know many students think I'm a snob, but don't worry, Loren. At my age, I won't shamelessly take advantage of you..."

"You're not a bad person, Professor."

"Not entirely a good