Frequency Asked Questions (FAQ)
Can works be cross posted to another fest?
Yes! As long as your work fits within the themes of both and follows the rules of the other fest.
Can I write my favorite ship or OC? Can I make a character an unspeakable who is not an unspeakable in canon?
Yes & Yes! As long as the work is set in the Harry Potter universe and follows the fest rules.
Will this fest be anonymous?
Works will be anonymous initially on AO3, but participants are welcome to discuss them during the writing or creating process. We encourage you to talk about your works within the confines of the DoM, but please feel free to go wherever you’re most comfortable.
Five days after works are posted to AO3, reveals will begin. We are currently planning to have all reveals occur on September 21, 2024, but may change this depending on the number of participants. We will let participants know and update the FAQ, if needed, once claiming has closed.
Can I claim more than one prompt at a time?
You can claim a second prompt only after your first work has been submitted and approved to the fest. If you wish to claim a prompt after claiming closes, please email mods for consideration. Participants can submit a maximum of five works.
What do I do if I need an extension or need to drop out of the fest?
Email the mod account as soon as you think you might need an extension, and we will do our best to work with you. If you can no longer participate, please send us an email and let us know. Please be sure to send us an email rather than a DM as it will help us stay organized.
Can you explain what you mean by writing stories (or making art) about the known areas of study of the Department of Mysteries (i.e., love, death, prophecy, mind, and space/time)?
What precisely did Lily Potter do that gave Harry the protection against the Killing Curse? How did the ward on the Dursleys’ house based on that protection operate, exactly?
Dumbledore told Harry “Love as powerful as your mother's for you leaves its own mark.” Was he speaking literally? How does love manifest in one’s magic?
Example Story: Beyond the Draught of Destiny by Jaxon
Mind: Legilimency, Occlumency, Thoughts, Memories.
Do memories shift over time? Are they fully removed from one’s mind when placed in the Pensieve?
Is Occlumency strictly magical? Can a squib with determination block a wizard? Can ADHD confuse the attacker? Are those proficient in meditation impossible to read?
Space/Time: Apparition, Time Travel, Aging, Alternate Universes
Is only closed loop time travel possible? Can you create a multiverse through your actions? Is the grandfather paradox possible? How, exactly, does apparition work in terms of physics?
Example Story: When Midnight Comes by Curly_Kay
Death: Soul vs. Body, Reincarnation, Afterlife
Is Death final? What is the nature of the soul vs. body in death? Can death be reversed?
Example Story: Beyond and Again by In_Dreams
Prophecy: Free Will vs. Determinism, Self-Fulfilling Prophecies
Are prophecies self-fulfilling? Or do they happen regardless? What happens if you try to fight prophecy? What happens if a prophecy is made and no one hears it? (Is there free will -- yes or no)
Magic & Families: How is magic passed down? What about muggleborns? Why do squibs exist? Does marrying a Muggle, in fact, dilute magic?
House Elves, Goblins, and Creatures, oh my!: How does their magic work and interact with that of wizards?
Magical Ethics: What sort of discussions happen before magical communities decide not to intervene, even if they could solve a muggle issue?
Nature: Ley lines and fairy circles.
HR and Intake: What is the hiring process like to become an Unspeakable? Do applicants have to complete challenges or tasks?
Example Story: Falling by anoesis
Matter: How do spells that interact with matter work? Gamp's Law of Elemental Transfiguration?
Example Story: SUS AIRBNB by nocturn
