Bubotuber

Bubotuber
Species information
Endemic to	Scotland (Hogwarts Forbidden Forest)
Sentience	Non-sentient
Leaves	Green in colour
Distinction(s)	Resembled a large, thick, black slug Covered in shiny protrusions, which when squeezed yield a thick, yellowish-green pus that had an odour akin to that of petrol
Usage	Bubotuber pus
Status	Extant

Professor Sprout: "Bubotubers. They need squeezing. You will collect the pus—"

Seamus Finnigan: "The what?"

Professor Sprout: "Pus, Finnigan, pus, and it's extremely valuable, so don't waste it. You will collect the pus, I say, in these bottles. Wear your dragon-hide gloves; it can do funny things to the skin when undiluted, bubotuber pus."

— Pomona Sprout and Seamus Finnigan in September 1994

A bubotuber was a magical plant, the visible part of which resembled a large, thick, black slug.

Description

This portion of the plant also squirmed of its own volition. The surface of a bubotuber was covered in shiny protrusions, which when squeezed yielded a thick, yellowish-green pus that had an odour akin to that of petrol.

Habitat

It is unknown where bubotubers originated from, but they could be found in the Forbidden Forest and were kept at the Hogwarts greenhouses.

Uses

"An excellent remedy for the more stubborn forms of acne, bubotuber pus. Should stop students resorting to desperate measures to rid themselves of pimples."

— Pomona Sprout

Bubotuber pus

Forest trolls ate bubotubers.

Bubotuber pus acted as a treatment for severe acne, but undiluted pus could affect unprotected skin in unintended ways. Because of this, dragon-hide gloves were strongly suggested when handling them. This suggests that bubotuber pus was a topical treatment, but that the actual salve consisted of the pus either diluted in a solution or mixed with other ingredients.

The pus was also used in the brewing of certain potions, such as the Healing Potion, and fake protective potions.

History

During the 1890–1891 school year, bubotubers could already be found in the Forbidden Forest. Bubotubers were of particular interest to a young Sacharissa Tugwood, who believed the bubotuber pus could potentially be used for skin care. To this end, she enlisted the aid of a new fifth-year to gather some from the Forbidden Forest. Sacharissa's theory would later be proved true, and bubotuber pus would become a key ingredient to her beauty potions.

During the 1987–1988 school year, bubotubers in the Forbidden Forest were largely trampled by sleepwalking students. A forest troll went so far as to the Forest Lake to look for bubotubers, which prevented the centaurs from drawing water from there safely. Upon learning of this emergency, Jacob's sibling, Charlie Weasley and Liz Tuttle first attempted to plant some bubotubers with Professor Sprout in the Herbology Classroom, but decided to seek another way as it would take weeks for them to grow. They then planted some in the Forest Grove with the help of dragon dung fertiliser and the Herbivicus Charm so that they matured immediately, and gave them to the troll to stop it from picking a fight with a centaur.

Harry using the seize and pull charm to pull on a bubotuber growing in the Forbidden Forest

In 1994, bubotubers were discussed and handled in fourth-year Herbology classes, with particular attention given to the extraction of bubotuber pus. They were also described in One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi. During the 1994–1995 school year, Hermione Granger was sent a letter full of bubotuber pus by an unknown person who evidently believed the slanderous Rita Skeeter article that claimed that Hermione was toying with the affections of both Harry Potter and Viktor Krum.

Etymology

The name "bubotuber" seems to be a compound of the words "bubo", the swelling of the lymph nodes seemingly like a large blister that accompanies infections like the bubonic plague, tuberculosis, or syphilis, and "tuber", referring to the fleshy, thickened underground stem of a plant, usually containing stored starch, like a potato. Both seem to be in reference to the appearance of the plant.

Appearances

• Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (First appearance)
• Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (video game)
• Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (Mentioned only)
• Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 (video game) (NDS version only)
• Pottermore
• Wizarding World (Mentioned only)
• Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery
• Harry Potter: Wizards Unite
• Harry Potter: Magic Awakened
• Hogwarts Legacy