Catch Me... If You Can

General rules and notes on fest procedure: 

We want this to be a respectful and safe space. So the following general rules apply:

Be respectful. No bullying, no harassment, no doxxing …

No character, ship or kink shaming/bashing, SALS - ship and let ship; Your Kink Is Not My Kink, But Your Kink is Okay 

Works created in this event must NOT feature characters under 18 in sexually explicit scenarios

Prompting and claiming will be hosted via google forms. The links to those will be posted later. Please stay in contact with the mods (see below), especially if anything comes up.

Ages to participate: 13+, creation of / interaction with works rated Mature or Explicit: 18+ 

We do NOT accept AI-generated content. 

All submitted works must be original to the fest and created by you. They can be part of an existing universe, but must be understandable as stand-alone. 

How does the fair / Prompt and Claim fest format work here?

You do not need to claim to prompt, but if you claim a concept not prompted previously, we ask that you add it to the prompts (see below). You are allowed and encouraged to collaborate with other creators. You need not be a member of the server to prompt or claim, though we would ask you to be contactable (via email, Discord or tumblr) if you submit something to this fest. 

Prompting: 

On July 31st, we will publish a Google Form where you can submit your prompts with instructions on how to post it to the AO3 collection, should you choose to submit the prompt to the collection yourself. 

If you have an idea that isn't quite fleshed out enough to submit as a prompt, head over to the server's (https://discord.gg/FFyzmvC42m) #the-wishing-well channel to informally put it out there.

By submitting your concept as a prompt, you agree for fellow fest participants and other creators to draw inspiration from your idea. 

Claiming: 

Beginning on August 15th, we will open a form where you can submit your prompt claims - this is to help us keep an eye on how many participants we will be having for this round.

To submit a work at the (i)magineventors fair, you have to claim a prompt. If there is no equivalent prompt yet, we ask that you submit one (see above). You are allowed to claim your own prompts, and there are no limits to how many times a prompt can be claimed or how many prompts can inspire your submission. 

If you plan to submit multiple works: 

If the works (e.g. fic + art, or fic + podfic) are linked and feature the same prompt(s), please claim only once. 

The same applies if you claim as a group of multiple participants to complete one or more linked projects. In this case, please appoint a spokesperson, and please also only fill out the form once.

If you wish to create multiple, not-linked works, please claim separately for each project. You are allowed to create multiple different works for the same prompt. 

Please only claim again when you have submitted your work(s) for the previous claim.

And then: Let your creativity run free, discuss your ideas and works with your co-creator(s), alpha, and beta readers and simply do what you do best. Ideally you should have your work ready by the submission date. (See: [Important Dates] above the cut.) 

Submitting: 

Add your work(s) to the works collection https://archiveofourown.org/collections/HP_imagineventors_fair_2026. You can do this by clicking the Post to Collection button (or alternatively entering the collection name HP_imagineventors_fair_2026 in the Post to Collections / Challenges section of the general Post New Work form). 

Link back to the prompt-works that inspired your works through AO3's "inspired by" function. To do so, tick "This work is a remix, a translation, a podfic, or was inspired by another work" and add the link to your prompt under "URL". If you wish to link multiple prompts, you might need to finish your post after the first, save it as a draft, and add another prompt when editing your draft again. (Repeat as often as needed.)

Please note that you have to actually post the work to the collection, keeping it as a draft does not suffice. It will not be visible to the general public until one of the mods reveals this work, so don’t fear to do something wrong, and don't hesitate to make changes even after posting to the collection.

If you want your work included in the upcoming round-up, head over to the Submission Google Form (link tba) to let us know about your work and your posting preferences if applicable (anonymous, reveal with round-up, etc.) before the "deadline to be included in the round-up" (see above). 

Artists are allowed to sign their art, and podficcers need not redact their and the author's handle within the audio.

Your work does not have to be complete to be included in the collection or the round-ups; however, it should feature the invention(s) you were inspired by by the time you post it to the collection. 

What types of works am I allowed to create?

Any rating, any character within the HP universe, any ship (incl Gen) is allowed; original characters are allowed as long as they act within the parameters of HP worldbuilding. Content containing explicit sexual content, violence or gore (including Dead Dove) are also allowed if tagged appropriately. 

The only exceptions: 

explicit sexual situations featuring characters under the age of 18 are not allowed. 

works created by artificial intelligence (AI) are not allowed. 

Any type of fanwork is allowed, multimedia-fanworks are encouraged. You can find some examples in the minimums below; a more extensive list with suggestions specific for this fest will follow.

If you are unsure if the work you want to create will fit the parameters of this fest, please feel free to contact a mod.

Minimum requirements for your works: 

Prompts: Completed form / fully filled-out template (tba)

Claims: 

Fic and Meta: 500 words

Poetry: 100 words OR 2 poems, whichever is shorter

Traditional or digital art: 600x600 px (scans in reasonable quality), and a basic (50 words) description for accessibility 

Spoken audio work (e.g. podfic, audio play): 5 minutes, and a written summary (transcript nice-to-have; podficcers may be allowed to pod an excerpt of their template if the final product is at least 5 minutes long)

Original music: 1.5 minutes, and a basic description (for instance lyrics, chords, sheet music) for accessibility

Song parody: 1 song, (link to) reference work, and new lyrics (audio optional)

Playlist: 5 elements

Moodboard: 5 elements

Fanvid (including original dance): 1 minute, and a basic description for accessibility

Fanbinding: one complete typeset

Other forms: please contact the mod(s)

There are no maximums.

Are (non-magical) AUs allowed? 

Works are allowed to be AU as long as they are centred in the HP universe (e.g. "Voldemort Wins AU", "Everyone Lives AU" etc.). We only ask that any invention be compatible to existing magic in HP canon. Characters and concepts mentioned by name only are accepted as main characters, as well as original characters.

The Harry Potter universe includes, amongst others: 

The book series

The film series (we do not anticipate the TV series being published by the time this round ends; however, whatever is known by then will be considered canonical as well.)

The canonical games (Hogwarts Mystery, Hogwarts Legacy, etc.)

The Fantastic Beasts series

For all others, please ask the mods to confirm. 

Non-magical AUs or crossovers are not allowed, sorry. 

Can I create works based off of already existing fanworks?

As above, all who have submitted prompts will have agreed by submitting for their submitted fanwork(s) to be used as inspiration for fellow creators. 

For your own pre-existing universes, yes, as long as the work(s) for this fest are newly published and understandable as stand-alone! 

You can also create works based on other existing fanworks if you have permission to create secondary/derivative fanworks by the original author/creator. Please note that we (the mods) can not grant you this permission and can also not monitor if every work meets this stipulation. 

If you as a creator want to give permission for others to use your works as such, maybe consider adding a fanworks permission statement / transformative works policy to your profile. You can find a statement builder here or check the mods' profiles for inspiration.

What happens if I can’t make a deadline or have to drop out?

Of course, we hope that every one of you will be able to make the deadline, but as we all know: Real life happens. 

If you can't make a deadline, or need an extension, that's absolutely okay. In that case, we would ask you to drop us (mods) a message (and be it a one-liner "re: imagineventors: Sorry, can't make it!"). 

How do I post to AO3? Where can I host images or audio?

AO3 has a tutorial on how to post a work, see below. If you have further questions or need further help feel free to contact the mod team.

https://archiveofourown.org/faq/tutorial-posting-a-work-on-ao3?language_id=en 

https://archiveofourown.org/faq?language_id=en 

Posting images:

AO3 does not host images, you can only embed them using a link. You have to host them on another site. Here's the how-to: https://archiveofourown.org/faq/posting-and-editing?language_id=en#embedimage  

Posting audio:

AO3 does not host audio, but you can embed them in a stream or a download variant. For a list of audio hosting end embed options, check out GodOfLaundryBaskets' Breakdown of Podfic Hosting Options: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27240112

Is there a way for me to participate without an AO3 account?

We want to give everybody a chance to participate, so please contact us if you won’t be able to post on AO3.

We (mods) can post your work from one of our accounts or anonymously, and then link to the site you posted it to, as well as create an external bookmark in our collection. 

Please note that even if we post it in your stead, the work will be uploaded on AO3.

Can I post my work to other sites besides AO3?

Yes, you can (and are encouraged to) cross-post whatever you want to whichever site you like. 

Can I add my work to other fests or collections?

Yes, you can. You are free to do with your work as you please, for example add the works to any collection you like.

You are allowed to co-submit to other fests and events that have no unrevealed period (e.g. kinktober, many bingos, etc.); for fests with unrevealed period, the reveals must be before the (i)magineventors fest's round-up you want to submit your work to. 

Please note that your work may not be accessible in other collections until after reveals if you choose for your work to remain unrevealed until the round-up date.

Please also note:

Like most other fandoms, Harry Potter as a canon/fanon/fandom grapples with various issues, including but not limited to transphobia/transmisia, racism and other forms of discrimination. 

Writing with Color’s Stereotypes & Tropes Navigation is one way to begin examining racism in fanworks creation - please especially refer to the color stereotype post in regards to the term "Black / Dark Magic" which is deeply rooted in racism.

Magical Trans is a community for transgender individuals in the Harry Potter fandom. 

If you have resources you’ve found helpful and would like to share, please let the mods know. (We trust this caution isn’t necessary, but if you don’t agree with the linked resources, please do not contact them with negative comments.)

(Thank you to @/bluedreaming for drawing attention to this, and for allowing us to use their stipulations.)

Acknowledgements:

This fest was first proposed and conceptualised as a response to Voiceteam's "If You Build It" Challenge, from Round 1, 2025. Thank you for the inspiration! 

Contributors to fest concepts and modding: 

SerenaEW, Nymphie_Wolf, Jocunda Sykes, Time Wizard Podfics, tenacious_minds, klari, Pensieve Podfics, digthewriter, trueliarose, Faithless_3105, whythehellnothavefun, Lapin_Avarie, Razz, Back_to_Fanfic, pbquil 

❣️ Disclaimer ❣️

As this fest is intended to be a place of positivity, we do not endorse any badmouthing of any preferences, sexual or otherwise, under any conditions. Even so, be aware that we vet each work personally and that we will only allow fanworks that align with the rules (see below) to be posted to the collection. Rejected fanworks are still allowed to be posted elsewhere by the creator, but not under the name of the fest.

Since this is a smutty fest, you must be at least 18 years old to participate.

The main pairing for this fest is exclusively Harry x Draco or Drarry. Poly relationships including Drarry are not allowed. Threesomes including Drarry are not allowed. You can have as many side pairings of other HP characters and original characters as you’d like, but your submission must focus on Drarry, and the endgame pairing must be Drarry.

This fest is also exclusive for top!Harry x bottom!Draco. Top!Draco and/or bottom!Harry is not allowed, explicitly or implicitly. There are other great fests for that!

The fest will allow the following participants:

Writers create written work for the fest, such as fic or poetry.

Artists create visual work for the fest, such as digital art, traditional art, or comics.

Writing and Art Betas reviews the fanwork before submission and gives the creators feedback. The form to sign up as a beta for the fest can be found here (beta sign-ups will be open for the same duration as writer/artist sign-ups). Writers and Artists are encouraged to use a Beta, but they are not required.

Participants will be invited to join the Discord server once they’ve successfully claimed a prompt.

This will be an anonymous fest! Please do not tell anyone other than your beta(s) about the specifics of your fanwork. Your work will be posted as anonymous. The writers and artists will be revealed once all fanworks have been posted. Please do not cross-post your work to other platforms until then! You are allowed to respond to comments while your work is anonymous (the responses will be anonymous), but you cannot divulge any identifying information—or you can wait until after the reveal!