"Is it really all right for us to just walk into someone's garden like this?" Taking small steps, Hermione followed Su Er as he strolled into the fenced garden across from their two homes.
"It's fine. This is my aunt's house. She left me the key, so we can use the fireplace here to get to Diagon Alley." Su Er took a brass key from his pocket and waved it. "Unless you'd rather take the bus?"
"The fireplace?" Hermione tilted her head in confusion, but quickly caught on. "Do you mean Floo Powder?"
"I've read about that in a book!"
"That's right." Su Er nodded, inserted the key into the lock, and turned it to the right. The spring inside the mechanism retracted with a click. "Come in. Don't worry, it's very simple. I'll show you how. Just follow me."
Hermione nodded obediently and watched in silence as Su Er took a transparent bottle filled with glittering powder from a brick at the upper right of the fireplace and gently shook a handful into his palm.
"Just like this." Su Er tossed in a handful of Floo Powder, and a blaze of green flames immediately roared to life in the empty fireplace.
"When we use Floo Powder, we have to say our destination clearly. Don't worry, it won't hurt wizards. I'll go first."
He looked back to explain to Hermione as he stepped into the flames. From within them, Su Er gave her an encouraging smile, then said in a clear voice, "The Leaky Cauldron."
Whoosh. The green flames spun violently, sweeping Su Er away until he vanished.
Hermione took a deep breath. This was her first time using a means of travel from the wizarding world. Following Su Er's demonstration, she poured a little powder into her palm and