"Professor," Toby interjected, raising his hand into the air for long enough that it would be noticed by Culloden and grab his attention. "Is there no, sort of... Stasis Charm we can use to keep the temperature at the same level while we brew the potion?" Even as he spoke, Toby was checking the cauldron thermometre again, 'cause that was the hardest part of the entire potion, keeping it LEVEL. "Or would that somehow make it vary by too many degrees, like not specific enough? Or perhaps would one of those only work if you're not actively making changes and adding to the potion?" As soon as he'd said his original question, all his own follow-up ones had occured to him as well. Even as he thought about it, Toby was working on cutting up the fluxweed leaves into three pieces with his CLEAN knife on their CLEAN surface. "That is, if one exists at all. But I think they should. And if they don't, someone should get on that." For long-term potions brewing, see?

Anyway, the longer he spoke, the more time was spent not making his own potion, because Toby was no multi-tasker. In fact, that was why he'd asked the question about the charm, because he was having to really overwork his brain by doing the brewing AND checking the temperature. A few times it had already gone a little over or under what it needed to be, probably ruining the effects of the potion, though considering the nature of the potion itself, that might not be such a bad thing.

Using his wand again, Toby levitated the cut up fluxweed leaves over and into his cauldron, finding that in the case of potions, using magic instead of the muggle method was usually the way to a better result. He went for his wooden stirrer then, and cleaned it with 'scourgify', before using it to stir the potion.

And narrowly avoiding a potential disaster, because at FIRST, he'd went to stick his wand into the cauldron, and only realised what he was doing a fraction of a second before it connected with the surface. WHEW, OKAY. So yes, he stirred it with the STIRRER, not his wand, clockwise, then anti-clockwise, then clockwise, and anti-clockwise, over and over, until it had been stirred fourteen times in total.

Toby withdrew the stirrer and automatically cleaned it, before hurriedly checking the temperature again. It had occurred to him in the middle of stirring that it had probably crept back up again. Aaaand yep. Toby couldn't tell for SURE, because the dungeons were always a little dingy what with the lack of windows, but it looked like it had gone up by about two degrees. Muttering a couple of harsh, self-deprecating comments to himself under his breath, Toby quickly adjusted the temperature and then checked the potion.

... It didn't smell, and it could definitely pass as muddy. Sure. Not perfect, but then he'd struggled with the temperature thing multiple times. This potion wasn't going so well for Toby, but he'd struggle through it anyway. And hopefully not have to start over; he didn't think his brain would cope with having to concentrate on all that aaaaall over again. He already had a headache and he was falling behind as it was.

No. Positive thoughts, Toby. C'mon. You can doooo eeeet.