Title: Weasley Travels
Fandom: Harry Potter
Rating: G
Length: 375 words
Content notes: none
Summary: The five youngest Weasleys leave Mrs. Weasley a note telling her where they've gone for the day, but with a twist. (If you aren't familiar with this type of puzzle, scroll down to the bottom for instructions.)



Molly Weasley had always been concerned about her children’s safety, and as they got older and the war with Voldemort progressed, her concern increased. At least during the school year, she knew where they were and that they were relatively safe, but when they came home for the summer, who knew where they could wander off to? One evening, she sat her youngest five down and informed them that from that time on, they should leave her a note whenever they left the house, telling her where they were going and when they would be back.

Considering that two of these children were notorious pranksters, she should not have been surprised to find the following note awaiting her when she awoke the next morning. Can you help her figure out who has gone where by which mode of transportation, and when they will be back, before the first person returns home? :-)

Dear Mum,

We’ve all gone out for the day to different places, including Fortescue’s Ice Cream Parlour. As it happens, all of us used different methods of transportation (one method, you will be sad to hear, is Dad’s old flying car), and we’ll all be back at different times (3:00 pm, 4:00 pm, 4:30 pm, 5:30pm, and 6:00pm).

Ron will return an hour after Fred, and Percy will return after George does.

The person who went to the Quidditch field will return after the person who went to Privet Drive, who will return after at least two other people.

Neither of the twins is utilising the Floo network today.

Nobody whose name begins with G will be back before 4:30.

The person who went to the library will return last.

The people who Apparated and took the Knight Bus comprise the youngest and the oldest among us.

The person who went to the Ministry of Magic will return first of all of us.

Ginny doesn’t have her Apparition licence yet, and knows better than to Apparate without one.

The person on the Knight Bus will return an hour before the person who is travelling by portkey.

Sincerely,

Fred, for Ginny, Ron, George, and Percy

P.S. Mother, I assure you I had nothing to do with any of this. —Percy


The Weasley children didn't leave their mother a grid, but if it would help you solve the puzzle, put X's and O's in the above grid. (Grid courtesy of the lovely tlstyer.com and the not-so-lovely-but-at-least-it's-free Microsoft Paint.)

About Logic Puzzles
I'm not sure what percentage of my audience is familiar with this type of puzzle. Basically, the clues contain all the information you need to know who went where how and will be back when, but not in a particularly linear order. But if you keep track of what you do know and eliminate everything that can't be true, eventually, you'll figure out what is true.

Penny/Dell Puzzles has a short guide to solving logic puzzles here, if you want more help. (Link is to a PDF).

Answer Key (Highlight to read)

Ginny took the Knight Bus to Privet Drive, and will be back at 4:30 pm.
Ron Flooed to Fortescue's, and will be back at 4:00 pm.
Fred took the flying car to the Ministry of Magic (oh dear!) and will be back at 3:00 pm.
George used a portkey to go to the Quidditch field, and will be back at 5:30 pm.
Percy Apparated to the library, and will be back at 6:00 pm.