[Harry]

"Merlin, dittany's hard," Chris muttered under his breath.

By that time both Harry and Chris' essence of dittany brew was supposed to appear blue. Harry's was a mysterious emerald color (close enough, Harry thought) and Chris' was a fluorescent pink.

Amira's had already turned blue a minute ago and was setting the timer to let it simmer, laying out books and parchment to study.

"How the hell did you do it?" Chris asked, frustrated.

Amira didn't even bat an eyelid or look up from her book when she answered. "Your powder isn't fine enough and you stirred three-and-a-quarter times instead of three." She licked her finger to turn the page on her transfiguration book. "And Harry, you have to stir one more time."

"Thanks, Mira!" Harry said while Chris vanished the contents in his cauldron angrily.

Harry stirred clockwise one last time and it turned blue. It wasn't as 'blue' as Amira's, but it was already much more than satisfactory to Harry. Studying with Draco did help immensely with potions. He also set the timer to forty minutes and flipped open an old issue of The Quibbler.

It was a pleasant Friday afternoon, Harry decided. They had a free afternoon- not free, per se, under strict orders from Dora to practice brewing essence of dittany- but since it required to simmer for so long, they had loads of free time.

It was already March, and the warm spring vibes were already floating around. Even though that meant his final Auror examinations were getting close, he was still in a considerably cheery mood.

Harry had already missed three issues of The Quibbler due to his lack of free time; he finally had some time to catch up. He flipped through the radish earrings catalogue, humming slightly.

Three issues of The Quibbler and (according to Amira) ten chapters of advanced transfiguration later, Harry and Amira had already switched their cauldrons twice and was ready to move on to the last step. Chris' brew was still steadily brewing on the Pewter cauldron.

Harry gazed at his mixture. It was more of a solid orange, not translucent like Amira's. He wasn't complaining, he was already thrilled it did turn orange at all.

Both of them dumped a generous amount of Blended Dittany Extract into their cauldrons. Harry's sizzled loudly and Amira's remained quiet, elegantly puffing yellow steam. She seemed extremely pleased.

They stirred seven times, and both of their potions turned brown- Amira's was the brown Harry remembered, Harry his own's was a bit murky. They waved their wands.

"Shall we test it?" Amira quipped as she pulled the artificial arm out of her handbag. She almost carried the same aloof expression Dora did when she pulled it out the first time.

"Dora's mad, telling us to take turns keeping the arm," Chris said from beside them. "Mum saw mine poking out of my bag when I went home to see her. Almost gave her a heart attack."

"You could've left it at your place."

Chris looked uneasy. "It's just weird letting it sit idly in the middle of my living room."

"Aw, how cute. Is little Chrissy afraid of the man-eating arm?" Amira teased, puffing out her lips.

Harry laughed and Chris scowled.

"Diffindo! Diffindo!"

The arm sliced open with a deep wound. The three of them were already too familiar with the sight of the arm being cut to bother.

Amira tested hers first. As usual, the instant her essence of dittany dripped onto the gash it started mending instantly. Soon, after ten drops, it was fully mended, without a trace of a scar.

She beamed happily. "Your turn!"

"Diffindo! Diffindo!"

Harry dribbled his potion onto the arm. It issued a great deal of smoke but it still mended at a considerable rate, though it left a slight scar.

"Hm, that would hurt if it were used on a human," Amira observed. She dripped some of her dittany onto the scar and it disappeared.

The clock chimed five and Harry stood. "Well, I'm sure the person I use it on won't complain given I'm saving their life," he grinned. He slung his bag over his shoulders and quickly cleaned up his cauldron, putting the ingredients back in place. The cabinets were now all color-coded with self-organizing cauldrons. Harry had to admit, Amira did one hell of a job.

Chris was complaining loudly about his cauldron and Amira went to his aid.

"No, you idiot, it's brass then copper! Merlin, how did you manage to scrape an E on your potions N.E.W.T.?"

"Well, I'm going. See you Monday!" Harry sang.

"Wait! It's your turn to take the arm!" Amira cried.

"Aw, crap!" He took the arm reluctantly from a smirking Amira and shoved it into his bag, not bothering to hide the fingertips that were poking out.

"Have a nice weekend with your arm!" Chris cackled behind him.

Harry smiled, just a little bit, when Amira's frustrated groan could still be heard as he got to the edge of the Auror's headquarters. Maybe it was because he was a natural matchmaker. Or maybe it was just because he was doomed to be the third wheel his entire life.