Welcome to the 2026 Short Story Competition 1!

Topic(s):
The first 500-1000 words of one of three divergences:
1) Harry does not manage to bring Cedric's body with him from the grave yard, and when others later go to check there's no evidence of anything having happened there
2) A student finds Ravenclaw's Diadem after it has been turned into a horcrux.
3) Harry manages to ask Cho out before Diggory


Word count: ~1000 words
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This competition is going to be a little different from the others. It will be used to help motivate writers for the 2026 Main Competition #1 competition. We will be focusing on the start of the divergence and leave reviews on how to improve it. Second, each writer will have to pick between three specific divergences to write about.

To determine the three divergences, please post ideas (one per post). The three with the highest votes will be our prompts.

Deadline: Sunday, Feb 15th 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.

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.

We will NOT be voting on the winner for this competition, but rather using it as a way to motivate and review others' works.

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

 

Prompt idea 1: Snape dies alone and forgotten in the Shrieking Shack

 

I've got a few ideas. Here's one:

Dumbledore succumbs to the curse while using the Resurrection Stone in the Riddle Shack

Dumbledore was incredibly lucky to have survived and made it back. If not, Harry would have been entirely blind. I wonder how anything happens after that. I have a few ideas. I like this divergence because it forces Harry to step up.

 

Idea:

Sirius does get a trial. Thinking about it a bit, I don't see many ways where it does go favorably for him using canon (unless you decide that veritaserum/legilimency/memories are seen as infallible), but it would be interesting to read about, if not very magical and more 12 angry men.

 

Another idea of mine:

A student finds Ravenclaw's Diadem after it has been turned into a horcrux.

I don't think I've seen this done before. Pull up an equivalent to the Diary plot whenever you want. I think this has the best potential when done early, think Marauders time.

 

A third idea:

Mandrakes are in supply for the victims of the Basilisk's stare

The cat and mouse game between Riddle Jr. and Dumbledore progresses into a more active phase, beyond just Dumbledore trying to figure out how the Basilisk is being controlled and led around.

 

Last idea:

Sirius escapes Azkaban but dies elsewhere.

Sirius' escape from Azkaban is an amazing feat that stands out when you reread Prisoner of Azkaban. A lot hinged on him persevering through steep odds to find a wand. Something could go wrong and no one knows?

It wouldn't take much of a butterfly. Just having a guard check quicker than they did in canon.

 

Hermione leaves in DH, not Ron.

 

I like the idea, but I don't know how you do this. It's just so not Hermione. She's stubborn and at that point, flexible with what she considers as Authority. She likes fighting for a cause. You'll have to break her to make it happen or have her left behind without a say in it.

 

At the end of the third year, Sirius doesn’t leave immediately, but visits and/or takes Harry with him, and it snowballs from there

 

Got randomly struck by this idea:

The Death Eaters do not forget the Room of Requirements after Half Blood Prince.

No easy escape for "mudbloods" and "blood traitors". I don't expect a story focused on torture (though you can go that route).

 

Harry does not manage to bring Cedric's body with him from the grave yard, and when others later go to check there's no evidence of anything having happened there

 

Harry is introduced to someone at Slughorn's Christmas party who actually turns out to be useful later on in the story

 

Harry manages to ask Cho out before Diggory and soon finds himself getting sabotaged by someone while he prepares for the tournament

 

Parvati and Lavender have a massive falling out and one of them become the awkward fourth wheel to Harry, Ron and Hermione

 

Sirius and Remus actually were secret lovers all along. The day in the life of one Order member turns on its head when they walk into the Grimmauld Place pantry without knocking

 

Actually, same as above but unspecified characters