ladiesofhpfest

[ladiesofhpfest]

Is ladies of HP fest running in 2025? 💕

Probably not, to be honest. Running the fest takes a lot of time and effort. Last year we noticed a huge drop-off in engagement with fics. This is not the authors' faults, nor necessarily that of the mods, but more of an observation of fandom as a whole. No one is obligated to interact with creative work, but if an author or artist shares their work, it is usually with the hope that there will be some engagement with it. Seeing engagement drop off is disheartening for both mods and creators.

Fandom ebbs and flows. Maybe we will come back to the fest, maybe not. Maybe someone else will take up the mantle. As of today, it is unlikely that the Ladies of HP Fest as you knew it will run in 2025.

[ladiesofhpfest]

The Mirror Cracked by minnas_hparchive (minnabird) - a Podfic

We're a little late posting our last Rebels and Renegades fic, but it absolutely has been worth the wait!

[ladiesofhpfest]

Fic title: This Image of Your Life

Today’s fic from @merlinsbudgiesmugglers explores the rebellion of Andromeda Black. Enjoy!

Snippet:

A thousand thoughts ran through her mind. There was so much that she wanted. She wanted to be allowed to continue her studies after school. She wanted to make a difference in the world beyond throwing charity events. She wanted to lock her sister up until she understood that Muggleborns deserved their place in the Wizarding World just as much as any other Witch or Wizard. 

[ladiesofhpfest]

Enemies of the Heir by @midnightstargazer

We have a weekend full of Rebels & Renegades for all of you! Our fic today is from MidnightStargazer, feat. Darlene and the Chamber of Secrets!

Snippet and link below!

They said he was descended from Salazar Slytherin himself. But they said it quietly, in whispers that never left the common room. With students turning to stone and messages written in blood on the walls, it would be too risky to tell the world. Even most of their Housemates probably didn't know, but Dorcas made it her business to know everything that went on under the lake.

So when she sat there in the spring of her seventh year, listening to Riddle and his cohort whisper amongst themselves, she noticed what Lestrange called him.

Voldemort.

It wasn't a real Wizarding surname; even as a half-blood Dorcas knew that much. It certainly didn't sound like a Muggle name, either. But the way the Lestrange boy said it, in a furtive whisper, his voice giddy with excitement and his lips curling up at the edges, left no room for doubt. They were calling Riddle Voldemort , and for some reason they felt the need to keep that a secret.

[ladiesofhpfest]

Will you send me to Hogwarts? by @sleepstxtic - a Podfic by @cailynwrites

We had one more work for Women of Color! This one is a podfic read by @cailynwrites, based on the fic by @sleepstxtic, Will you send me to Hogwarts? Summary and link below!

Summary: A letter to the Patil twins from their mother.

[ladiesofhpfest]

Hi!

Question, for the theme of Women of color, do we have to inherently focus on their culture itself? Or can it just be from the characters pov?

Hello! You do not need to focus on the culture of the character you're writing about, but do keep in mind that characters' POVs are shaped by the culture they were raised in. You might want to check out @writingwithcolor's blog to see some useful tips. Their POC Profiles page provides some real life profiles of POC and the intersectionality of their identities.

Hope this helps!

[ladiesofhpfest]

In the Aftermath by @midnightstargazer

Our first fic for Women of Color is here! This one is by MidnightStargazer, feat. Padma Patil! Snippet and link below!

Padma could see the thestrals now. Her eyes widened as she spotted them, sleek and dark and full of mystery, with their reptilian skin and their batlike wings. Her mouth hung open in the shape of an “O”. She reached up, cautiously, to pet one of them on the nose, feeling its cool, hard skin beneath her fingertips.

“They’re called-”

“I know what they’re called,” said Padma, cutting off Luna’s soft, dreamy voice. “I’ve read about them, I’ve just never seen one before.”

Padma knew, of course, exactly why she could see them now. Anybody who fought in the Battle of Hogwarts could see them. Glancing around, she saw Hermione Granger’s eyes widening, Hannah Abbott glancing at the thestrals warily, and Dean Thomas pulling out a sketchbook as he seated himself on the bench of the carriage.

“What’s going on?” asked a small voice.

[ladiesofhpfest]

Is it currently too late to participate this year?

Not too late! Our updated schedule can be found here. As long as you submit before the deadline for each theme, you are good. Past themes are finished so you can't post for a theme like Mothers/Daughters but you can post for future ones.

[ladiesofhpfest]

Theme #7 Kickoff: Women of Colour, 28 July - 11 August

The seventh theme for the Ladies of HP Fest is Women of Color! For this theme, we want to focus our attention on the ethnically and culturally diverse voices (whether canon or headcanon) of female characters in the series. This can be an exploration of a particular culture, struggles as a person of color at Hogwarts, or simply putting the spotlight on a background character you want to see more of! 

Prompt ideas:

Cultural clashes and surprises: fashion, food, customs, and speech/language differences, whether positive, negative, or neutral.

Pride, joy, and power in one’s culture, ethnicity, or heritage

What was it like to be (insert character here) in a predominantly White environment? 

Sharing one’s culture, ethnicity, or heritage with others

Intersectionality: being a woman of color and having another identity as LGBTQ+, having a disability, socioeconomic status, blood status, and so on

Guidelines and rules below the cut:

Writing/creating: Minimum fic word count for the main fest is 200*; no artwork 'time' amount, but use your best judgment to show something that took effort. The full rule list can be found here, and the FAQ list can be found here. Our updated schedule can be found here.

Posting: When you're done, post the work to the 2024 AO3 collection. It will be unrevealed until the mod reveals it. There is no set reveal schedule; it's a come as you are, come as you go sort of fest, and no set commitment to any week. You can post ahead of time, but the fic won't be revealed until the theme arrives. Please include the theme in your author notes.

If you have questions, ask. Happy creating!

Many thanks to @merlinsbudgiesmugglers for our banners!

[ladiesofhpfest]

Theme Roundup: Marauders Era Misses

We had two new works for Marauders Era Misses, one fic and one podfic! Thank you to our creators @midnightstargazer and @cailynwrites for creating! See the links to their works below!

Mightier than the Sword, 11.5k words, T. Emmeline Vance, past Emmeline/Narcissa, past Emmeline/Alice

The Chaperone by @annabtg AnnaBtG - a Podfic by @cailynwrites, 45 minutes, T. Lily Evans, Petunia Evans

Stay tuned for our next theme!

[ladiesofhpfest]

As our theme of Marauders Era Misses comes to a close this weekend, consider voting in this poll for your favorite Marauders Era girlie!

According to our AO3 Collection for the 2024 fest, Narcissa is the #1 fan favorite!

favourite marauders era girlie? minus the main trio cause tumblr allows only 10 options😭

-pandora, dorcas, narcissa, bellatrix, andromeda, emmeline, emma, alice, sybil, amelia

Not including Emma because she's not canon, sorry!! (As far as I know)

Also, tumblr allows 12 options so it does work out :D

[ladiesofhpfest]

The Chaperone by AnnaBtG - a Podfic by @cailynwrites

Here is our next fic for Marauders Era's Misses. This is a podfic based on the fic written by @annabtg. Summary and link below!

Summary:

When Lily's father won't let her go out alone on a date with James, she has to resort to desperate measures: make it a double date with Petunia and Sirius.

[ladiesofhpfest]

Mightier Than the Sword by @midnightstargazer

Our first work for Marauders Era Misses is here! This one is Emmeline Vance-centric, feat. past Narcissa/Emmeline and past Alice/Emmeline! Snippet and link below!

Kicking off her heels and setting down her handbag, Emmeline Vance sighed and collapsed onto the couch in her living room. It had been another long day full of nothing but bad news. Most days seemed to be like that lately.

The room was silent. Decorated in shades of forest green and navy blue, with photos of her school friends displayed on the shelf by the wall, it was Emmeline’s sanctuary and belonged to her alone. Usually, she liked the solitude, but today it felt overwhelming. She found herself longing for the presence of another person or even the sound of a dog or cat padding across the floor to greet her.

The memory of the crime scene still haunted her: a skull and snake looming over the house like a horrible, deadly constellation, Aurors searching for evidence, and the bodies of a murdered family lying there, cold and still. She shuddered. How could things have gotten this bad?

Bowing her head and folding her hands in prayer, Emmeline began to murmur the words she had learned as a small child, lingering on a single line and letting it fill her up, a desperate plea to a deity she could only hope was listening.

“Deliver us from evil.” 

She was beginning to think the only way the war would end in their favor was through divine intervention.

[ladiesofhpfest]

Theme #6 Kickoff: Marauders Era Misses, 17 July - 27 July 2024

Now that we've updated our schedule, we're ready to kick off our next theme of Marauder Era Misses!

The sixth theme for the Ladies of HP Fest is Marauders Era Misses! This is a broad category which includes any and all women who were active during the First Wizarding War. This time frame includes the 60s, 70s, and early 80s and includes a wide variety of characters, including, but not limited to the following:

Prompt ideas:

The Black sisters and their reactions to the war, the trials, and the rise and fall of Voldemort

Women in the Order of the Phoenix: Lily Evans Potter, Dorcas Meadowes, Marlene McKinnon. 

Women mentioned in canon but with open interpretations: Emmeline Vance, Hestia Jones, Amelia Bones, Mary Macdonald, Pandora Lovegood. 

Any aspect of growing up during the First Wizarding War, any battle or skirmish as a member of the Order of the Phoenix, outside observers of the war or women on the fence between fighting and staying out of the mess.

Guidelines and rules below the cut:

Writing/creating: Minimum fic word count for the main fest is 200*; no artwork 'time' amount, but use your best judgment to show something that took effort. The full rule list can be found here, and the FAQ list can be found here. Our updated schedule can be found here.

Posting: When you're done, post the work to the 2024 AO3 collection. It will be unrevealed until the mod reveals it. There is no set reveal schedule; it's a come as you are, come as you go sort of fest, and no set commitment to any week. You can post ahead of time, but the fic won't be revealed until the theme arrives. Please include the theme in your author notes.

If you have questions, ask. Happy creating!

Many thanks to @merlinsbudgiesmugglers for our banners!

[ladiesofhpfest]

For @justleaveacommentfest, consider leaving a comment (or more!) on one of our many wonderful works from this year's Ladies of HP Fest. So far we have almost 50 female character-centric works! Leave your love and appreciation for our creators by leaving a comment this July! A link to our collection can be found below!

LET'S MAKE THIS SUMMER THE BIGGEST COMMENTFEST EVER!!!

ALL YOU SKELETONS HAVE FIVE DAYS TO SPREAD THE WORD TO AT LEAST FOUR UNINITIATED FRIENDS AND TELL THEM TO GET ON BOARD!!!

[ladiesofhpfest]

Theme Roundup: Character Chic

For our theme of Character Chic, which ran longer than expected, we had 8 new works! 2 podfics and 6 fics celebrating the ins and outs of what makes our favorite ladies who they are! Check out all the works below!

What is Right and What is Easy by @midnightstargazer. 4.9k words, T, Marietta Edgecombe & Cho Chang

Consequences and Preparations by Chokolatte Jedi - a podfic read by @cailynwrites. 9 minutes long, T, Narcissa Black Malfoy

Body Positive by @sophie-hatter-jenkins. 8.9k words, M. Ginny Weasley

The New Mrs Malfoy by pkettleburn. 10.4k words, T. Narcissa Black Malfoy

A blooming garden (Of obsidian coils) by @nihilisticnomad. 352 words, T. Narcissa Black Malfoy/Nagini

Who's Afraid of Me? (You Should Be) by @thecasualauthor. 20.5k words, T, Hermione Granger.

Follow Me by mimisays. 4.9k words, G, Susan Bones, Amelia Bones

The Audacity of Lavender Brown by malpal132 - a podfic read by @cailynwrites. 42 minutes, E, Lavender Brown

Thank you to all who created for Character Chic! Please give your love to all our creators by leaving kudos and comments on their works!

[ladiesofhpfest]

The Audacity of Lavender Brown by malpal132 - a Podfic read by @cailynwrites

We had one last entry for Character Chic! This is a podfic based on the fic written by malpal132. Summary and link below!

Summary:

Ron channels his anger through the blades of his skates and the hockey stick he uses on his professional team, but embarrassment isn’t an emotion he’s quite mastered. This disparity between them starts out small, then trickles into everything.

For instance, he never kisses her with his tongue. Like, never. She straddles his lap and cards her fingers through his ginger hair, showing a bit of Victorian ankle every time she risks slipping her tongue past her own lips. It’s like his are vacuum-sealed shut. Instead of French sophistication, she’s more like a gerbil suckling from the sippy bottle attached to the side of its cage.

She is abundant with nowhere to go.