Welcome to the 2025 Q4 Story Competition!

Topic(s):
an international emergency

Word count: unlimited (no minimum)
​

Last competition had a fantastic turnout and I'm ready for more. This time I picked four prompts from the prompt thread, as it's been awhile since we've used them. If you have no interest in even wanting to write, don't vote.

Deadline: Sunday, December 21st at 11:59PM Eastern time.​

Send your stories to @Lindsey once you're done. Authors will be kept anonymous between the two of us, and I will not know who you are until after the competition has ended. Feel free to claim credit for your story if you want it but we'll keep it confidential otherwise.

Feel free to use beta-readers but don't put your competition entry in WbA until after voting has ended. If you figure out who one of the entrants is then don't tell everyone else.

Voting Rules

• Read and review all entries, leaving at least 200 words of useful feedback.
  • Put the bulk of your review into a spoiler tag.
• After you have read and reviewed ALL entries, post in this thread with your top three stories ranked.
  • Please link to your reviews when you do this.

A guide on "how to review" in general is available here. We'd prefer that you not bias yourself by reading other reviews before making your own, but that choice is yours.

One of the rewards for authors participating in this competition is the feedback, critique, and overall useful commentary on their work. Don't dial it in. If you don't know how to leave useful feedback then comment on the plot, pacing, characters, prompt usage, and anything else that comes to mind. You'll find that 200 words flies by.

If you rank a story as #1 it will get 3 points, #2 will get 2 points, and #3 will get 1 point. Highest score wins. There will always be a winner. There may or may not be a runner up, depending on the number of entries and how close they are.

Got an idea for a future prompt? Put it in this thread!

 

Gonna close it Sunday night/Monday morning.

 

Winner is:

an international emergency

Here are some AI prompt ideas to help spark some creative juices.

1. The Goblin Revolution - Gringotts banks across all continents simultaneously shut down, with goblins demanding reparations and sovereignty. The International Confederation of Wizards fractures as some nations support goblin rights while others threaten military action. Bill Weasley, caught between his employer and his conscience, becomes an unlikely negotiator.
2. The Veela Succession Crisis - The Veela Matriarch dies without naming an heir, and three rival factions across France, Bulgaria, and Greece claim leadership. When Veela worldwide begin taking sides, magical governments fear civil war will spill across borders. Fleur must navigate deadly court politics while preventing international conflict.
3. The Horcrux Precedent - When a dark wizard in Brazil creates multiple Horcruxes and holds a city hostage, the international magical community debates whether to use Voldemort's case as legal precedent. Harry is subpoenaed to testify at the International Magical Court, where nations argue over sovereignty, intervention rights, and dark magic legislation.
4. The Antarctic Discovery - An ancient magical civilization is discovered beneath Antarctica, still alive and claiming ownership of powerful artifacts scattered across museums worldwide. Nations refuse to return the artifacts, and the Antarctic wizards threaten war. Hermione leads tense diplomatic negotiations while uncovering unsettling truths about magical history.
5. The Durmstrang Coup - Radicals seize control of Durmstrang and several Eastern European magical governments, declaring a new Dark Alliance. The ICW must decide whether to intervene or respect sovereignty, while students trapped inside smuggle information out. Viktor Krum becomes the face of the resistance movement.
6. The Magical Pandemic Protocol - A dangerous magical creature escapes in Japan and begins reproducing exponentially, threatening to overwhelm Asia within weeks. Countries close their borders, hoard resources, and blame each other. Charlie Weasley must unite feuding magizoologists and breach hostile borders to contain the threat.
7. The Triwizard Tragedy - During a revived Triwizard Tournament, a champion dies under suspicious circumstances. Three nations accuse each other of assassination, threatening to break century-old alliances. Percy, now a diplomat, investigates while managing international tensions, discovering the conspiracy goes higher than anyone suspected.
8. The Wolfsbane Embargo - After a werewolf attack on a magical government official, several nations ban Wolfsbane potion exports, causing a humanitarian crisis in poorer magical countries. Remus Lupin's legacy becomes a political weapon as nations debate werewolf rights, resource distribution, and biomagical ethics.
9. The Sacred Sites Conflict - Multiple magical cultures claim religious ownership over the same powerful magical locations (like Stonehenge), threatening holy wars. The ICW attempts to mediate, but ancient magical oaths and prophecies complicate modern diplomacy. Luna becomes an unexpected peace negotiator due to her unique perspective on magical spirituality.
10. The Portkey Blockade - A magical superpower begins denying Portkey access through their airspace, effectively landlocking smaller magical nations and controlling international travel. Economic pressure, black market Portkeys, and military posturing escalate. Ginny, working in magical sports diplomacy, uses the Quidditch World Cup as a backdoor negotiation channel.