Floo powder

Floo powder
Object information
Location	Wizarding homes
Manufacturer	Floo-Pow (invented by Ignatia Wildsmith)
Made	13th century
Usage	Transported people to a pre-determinated destination
Owners	Wizardkind

"When travelling by Floo powder it is important that you speak clearly, take care to get out at the right grate, keep your elbows tucked in, shut your eyes, don’t fidget and don’t panic."

— Description

Floo powder was a glittery magical powder used by witches and wizards to travel by the Floo Network, which connected the fireplaces of nearly every wizarding household and building. Through the use of Floo powder, witches and wizards were able to enter a fireplace at the origin building and exit a fireplace at the destination building.

It could also be used as a means of communication, where magical people could have their head temporarily transported to another fireplace to speak to those at the destination fireplace.

Description

"He took a pinch of glittering powder out of the flowerpot, stepped up to the fire, and threw the powder into the flames. With a roar, the fire turned emerald green and rose higher than Fred, who stepped right into it, shouted, “Diagon Alley!” and vanished."

— Fred Weasley using Floo Powder to travel to Diagon Alley

A pot of Floo powder

When thrown into a fire burning in a fireplace, Floo powder turned the previously normal flames into harmless, emerald green flames that rose higher than before. One had to toss a handful of powder into a fireplace connected to the Floo Network, walk into the flames, and state the desired destination loudly and clearly to ensure arrival in the proper location. This could be difficult due to the ash, heat and panic.

Floo powder could only be used once; so if done incorrectly, one could end up at the wrong location, which Violet Tillyman did in 1855, and Harry Potter did in 1992.

While mid-travel, individuals were advised to keep their eyes shut (to keep the soot out of them), keep their elbows tucked in (to avoid banging them on the passing fireplaces) and refrain from fidgeting and/or panicking (to avoid coming out of the wrong fireplace).

Transportation by Floo powder was much quicker than by broomstick, but slower than Apparition. However, unlike Apparition, one did not require a licence to use Floo powder. It could also be used when one placed only their head into the flames, to partially transport themselves to another location for direct communication.

Molly Weasley kept her household stock of Floo powder in a flowerpot on her mantle.

History

Ignatia Wildsmith, inventor of the Floo Powder

Floo powder was invented by Ignatia Wildsmith in the thirteenth century. Its manufacture was strictly controlled. The only licenced producer in Britain was Floo-Pow, a company whose Headquarters was in Diagon Alley, and who never answered their front door.

No shortage of Floo powder was ever reported, nor did anybody know anyone who made it. Its price remained constant for one hundred years: two Sickles a scoop. Every wizard household carried a stock of Floo powder, usually conveniently located in a box or vase on the mantelpiece.

Although Floo powder's main ingredient was Floo, its precise composition was a closely guarded secret. Those who tried to ‘make their own’ were universally unsuccessful. At least once a year, St Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries reported what they called a ‘Faux Floo’ injury — in other words, somebody had thrown a homemade powder onto a fire and suffered the consequences. As irate Healer and St Mungo’s spokes-wizard, Rutherford Poke, said in 2010: "It's two Sickles a scoop, people, so stop being cheap, stop throwing powdered Runespoor fangs on the fire and stop blowing yourselves out of the chimney! If one more wizard comes in here with a burned backside, I swear I won't treat him. It's two Sickles a scoop!"

Use

The Weasleys and Harry Potter using Floo Powder

In the wizarding world, Floo powder was used as a quick means of transportation. It was often used by adult wizards when travelling with underage wizards (who were not licenced to Apparate) the elderly or the infirm. It was also a more regulated means of transportation that could be used without fear of breaking the International Statute of Secrecy, in special circumstances to travel to and from secure locations that were often inaccessible by Apparition, such as Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry the British Ministry of Magic, and the Muggle Prime Minister's office. Finally, there was little to no danger of serious injury, unlike Apparition.

The connection of fireplaces to the Floo Network required the permission of the Ministry of Magic, which was responsible for the regulation of the Floo service and prevented Muggle fireplaces from becoming inadvertently joined up. Disconnection from the Floo Network was much simpler, requiring only the use of a simple spell.

Floo powder was also used as means of communication, as an individual's head could be transported to the destination fireplace while the individual's body remained at the origin. It was a quicker and more interactive form of communication than owl post. It was often used in cases where an immediate face-to-face meeting was necessary, but Apparation was not practical or possible (such as to or from Hogwarts). In addition to the ability to transport only the head to the destination fireplace, it was also possible to transport other individual body parts or even just the individual's voice.

The protective enchantments that protect Hogwarts did not allow individuals to utilise Floo powder as a means of transportation to leave or enter the school, but did allow transportation within the school. Individuals were also allowed to communicate via Floo powder at Hogwarts, even to fireplaces outside of Hogwarts.

Known instances of use

Date	Wizard(s)	Notes
1990-1993	Cornelius Fudge	When going to the office of the Muggle Prime Minister to introduce himself and the wizarding world.
1992	Weasley family	When going from The Burrow to Diagon Alley to purchase their new school things.
	Harry Potter
		Harry using Floo PowderAccidentally swallowed a lot of hot ash when trying to pronounce "Diagon Alley", said "Diagonally", and ended up in the fireplace of Borgin and Burkes in Knockturn Alley instead.
	Weasley family	When returning from Diagon Alley to The Burrow.
	Harry Potter
1993	Cornelius Fudge	When going to the office of the Muggle Prime Minister to warn him of Sirius Black's escape from Azkaban.
1994	Remus Lupin	When going from his own office at Hogwarts to Severus Snape's office through his fireplace after Snape summoned him to evaluate the Marauder's Map. Snape summoned Lupin via the Floo Network simply by throwing Floo Powder into the fire and calling his name, then Lupin heard it and came to his office.
	Arthur Weasley	When going from The Burrow to collect Harry from Privet Drive and take him to the Quidditch World Cup. The Dursleys' fireplace was blocked up, impeding the Weasleys from being able to exit the fireplace without blasting their way through.
	Fred Weasley
	George Weasley
	Ron Weasley
	Arthur Weasley	When returning from Privet Drive to The Burrow.
	Fred Weasley
	George Weasley
	Ron Weasley
	Harry Potter
	Amos Diggory	When talking to Molly Weasley through the fireplace at The Burrow. Molly gave Amos a piece of toast via the fireplace before his departure.
	Sirius Black	When speaking with Harry through the fireplace from a wizarding house to the Gryffindor Common Room.
1995		Two separate times, when speaking with Harry, Ron, and Hermione from the fireplace at Number Twelve, Grimmauld Place to the Gryffindor Common Room. The second time, he was nearly caught by Dolores Umbridge, when her hand appeared and groped around amongst the flames attempting to seize Sirius' head.
1996	Cornelius Fudge	When going to the office of the Muggle Prime Minister to notify him of the mass breakout from Azkaban.
	Harry Potter	When speaking with Remus Lupin and Sirius Black at Number Twelve, Grimmauld Place from the fireplace in Dolores Umbridge's office.
		When speaking with Kreacher at Number Twelve, Grimmauld Place from the fireplace in Dolores Umbridge's office. Harry was dragged backwards out of the fire by Umbridge while using it on this occasion.
	Albus Dumbledore	When travelling from the British Ministry of Magic Atrium to the Headmaster's office at Hogwarts, after having defeated Lord Voldemort in the Battle of the Department of Mysteries.
	Cornelius Fudge	Wen going to the office of the Muggle Prime Minister to discuss issues related to the Second Wizarding War and to introduce him to Scrimgeour, as the new Minister for Magic.
	Rufus Scrimgeour
1997	Harry Potter	When returning to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry from The Burrow after Christmas holidays.
	Ron Weasley
	Ginny Weasley

Behind the scenes

Floo Power as seen in Harry Potter: Puzzles & Spells

• J. K. Rowling's use of "Floo" originates from the flue that you find on a chimney.
• The purpose in the creation of Floo powder and the Floo Network, according to J.K. Rowling, was to establish a way for young witches and wizards in the story to travel around in compliance with the International Statute of Secrecy, which Rowling states was an inconvenient plot element that made it difficult for her to move her young characters over long distances.
• In the novels, one must toss a handful of Floo powder onto the flames and when the fire turns green, one must speak the destination and enter the flames. However in the film adaptation of Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, one stands in the fireplace recites the destination, drops the powder and the growing green flames swallow the traveller and they reappear at the aforementioned destination.
  • This is changed however in the film adaptation of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix when Harry attempted to use Dolores Umbridge's fireplace to go and save Sirius Black.
• The appearance of Floo Powder when thrown into a fire is similar to Borax, which creates a yellow-green flame when burned.

Appearances

• Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (video game) (Appears on a Famous Wizard Card)
• Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (First appearance)
• Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (film)
• Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (video game) (All versions except PC)
• Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (Mentioned only)
• Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
• Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (film)
• Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
• Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (film)
• Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (video game)
• Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
• Harry Potter and the Cursed Child
• Harry Potter and the Cursed Child (play)
• J. K. Rowling's official site
• Pottermore
• Harry Potter (website)
• Harry Potter Trading Card Game
• Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey
• LEGO Harry Potter: Years 1-4
• LEGO Harry Potter: Years 5-7
• Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery (Mentioned only)
• Harry Potter: Wizards Unite
• Harry Potter: Puzzles & Spells (Mentioned only)
• Harry Potter: Magic Awakened (Mentioned in History of Magic classes)

See also

• Floo Network Authority
• Flooboost Pro
• Portkey