Bubotuber pus

Bubotuber pus
Potion ingredient information
Taken from	Bubotuber swellings
Properties	Cured acne and pimples (caused painful boils when undiluted)
Physical characteristics	Greenish-yellow in colour Thick consistency Smelt strongly of petrol
Preparation	Diluted
Used in	Acne-removal Fake protective potions Healing Potion

"Bubotuber pus is a thick, yellowish green liquid, which smells strongly of petrol. It is very valuable, and can be used as an effective remedy against acne."

— Description

Bubotuber pus was a thick, yellowish-green, petrol-smelling substance squeezed from the swellings of the magical bubotuber plant.

Usage

It was extremely valuable for its acne-curing abilities, but if touched undiluted, it could leave painful boils on the skin. For this reason, dragon-hide gloves were recommended to be worn while handling raw bubotuber pus. Nevertheless, treated bubotuber pus was recommended for curing the most severe cases of acne, rather than spells, due to the fact that spells were risky in acne-removal, such as in the case of Eloise Midgen cursing her nose off. Bubotuber pus was also potentially useful for cosmetic goods, allegedly creating a good moustache paste when mixed with dittany.

History

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 1994

The pimple-curing properties of bubotuber pus was first discovered by the potioneer Sacharissa Tugwood, who also created some of the earliest Beautifying Potions.

During the 1994–1995 school year, fourth-years attending Hogwarts collected bubotuber pus in bottles during Herbology with Professor Sprout. When the students were squeezing the swellings, it was described as "disgusting, but oddly satisfying".

In the same school year, Hermione Granger was sent an envelope covered with this substance from an unknown person, who believed the rumour that she had relationships with both Harry Potter and Viktor Krum, as falsely and maliciously reported by Rita Skeeter. Her touching this substance caused yellow boils to form on her hands, which made it looked like she was wearing thick, knobbly gloves.

In August 1996, Molly Weasley mentioned that a mixture of gravy and bubotuber pus was being falsely sold as a Protective Potion in the streets of Diagon Alley, which would supposedly protect the drinker from the effects of Dark Magic, despite having no effect whatsoever.

During the Calamity in the 2010s, bubotuber pus was heavily collected and used as a potion ingredient by volunteer members of the Statute of Secrecy Task Force, where it was mainly used to brew the Healing Potion.

Appearances

• Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (video game) (Mentioned on a Famous Wizard Card)
• Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (video game) (Mentioned on a Famous Wizard Card)
• Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (video game) (Mentioned on a Famous Wizard Card)
• 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)
• Pottermore
• Wizarding World (Mentioned only)
• Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery
• Harry Potter: Wizards Unite
• Hogwarts Legacy (Mentioned only)