#Severus Pov#

If it were to say a certainty, Severus would say firmly how much he hates James Potter.

He is arrogant, spoiled, and always makes a point of showing how reciprocal his dislike is.

That morning when Lily defended him, he ran not out of fear of Potter or the Marauders. He always faced them head-on after all.

Something hurt him deeply when Lily needed to intervene for him.

Sigh

He wanted her to see him with pride and admiration. Let her see how academically brilliant he is, to make her realize how inferior Potter is.

All this for a not fleeting fantasy of them being something more than just friends.

Severus didn't want to admit that there was love at first sight. But since he first saw Lily... She had always become the subject of much of his thoughts.

He doesn't know when he started seeing her in such away. However, what hurts the most was knowing that the two live in two totally different worlds.

Even though he knew he could never have a chance with her, Severus made a vow to himself never to let Lily be with Potter.

Just the idea made him sick, anyone else Lily chose Severus would learn to accept. A long time ago he will accept the position of friends forever.

Lily deserved someone better than him.

While all students were getting ready to embark on a Christmas vacation. Severus was thinking about his meticulously crafted plan.

Unlike Felix Felicis elixir that the preparation time is an average of 6 months. This similar yet peculiar potion takes about 3 weeks.

Perhaps laymen would think that for this reason alone the potion seems easier. but, they are extremely wrong.

Hidden, Severus enters the ingredient warehouse inside Professor Slughorn's office.

He still wondered why risk so much for a potion that could possibly kill him?

And even if it worked... What would that change in your life anyway? Just a little momentary luck wouldn't change much after all.

His only expectation was that it was a real challenge to his abilities and that the effects are not very clear in the book.

A voice deep inside him told him that this could be a big change in his life, who knows he could patent this new potion?

At the same time that this was happening, his down-and-out, down-to-earth side of life countered by sneering about something going right in his life.

He had more than enough proof that life sucked.

Picking up all the necessary ingredients, he carried them through the empty corridors to an empty and isolated room on the 4th floor.

An unused potions laboratory, the castle was too big and had many rooms that were not used because of the insufficient number of students.

The founders really exaggerated the size of Hogwarts. Seriously, just ridiculous.

To Severus' delight, all the ingredients were easily found. He felt kind of bad about catching them hiding.

Professor Slughorn always ran a competition for the seventh year, with the prize being Felix felicis.

The potion has most of the ingredients needed in your new venture.

And the rest of the ingredients though rare, they weren't that unusual, as they were used in other potions during the school years.

What worried him most was the ritualistic procedure of the manufacturing process. He had never seen a potion have so many details and so many necessary steps.

It looked like a real bomb that with just a little slip would explode. And even better, it would explode in your face.

With chalk, he drew a five-pointed star on the ground around the cauldron. Although this is his first ritual he was quite used to the concept due to his studies in dark magic.

The entire process must be minimally calculated, everything must be perfectly symmetrical. The 5-pointed star has several meanings and luck being one of them... It seemed very well suited to the concept of the potion.

Having finished and heaving a long sigh, Severus looks at the counter already set with the various ingredients.

His heart pounded, so hard he could hear it clearly. As if entering a trance he initiated.

It felt like a dance, not simple potion preparation. People could hate him all they wanted, but no one could deny that when Severus Snape brewed potions he didn't seem to be himself.

As if there is a shell that finally breaks free and reveals your true self.

After a total of 12 hours of preparation, sweat was running down his forehead. The potion's volatility was on the rise, a brief slip and hurt would be the least of his problems.

He said in his mind, prayed, or even begged whoever was listening to help him.

'Any god, deity, or whatever help me... I just wish you a little luck' he thought

The critical moment seemed to unfold before him. Like a scale measuring whether he was worthy or not, holding his breath completely he threw the last ingredient into the cauldron.

And he waited.

When the desired change did not come, it seemed to have gone wrong. But with a growing golden glow, the potion began to transform.

From a clear liquid, she became a proud and arrogant gold. As if dyed in pure gold.

Sighing with relief he started the next step, now the fermentation process should persist for 3 weeks.

Each night around the darkest time, he must add exactly 3 drops of his blood.

Knowing exactly the darkest hours of the night requires a high degree of arithmancy and astrology. After all, each night had its differences and the times didn't coincide.

Not a minute can be delayed, everything is already well planned in his calculations. That feeling of being in control of things made him feel great.

In all his precarious life, when he made potions he had something that life will always deny him.

A choice.