Dark Witches

Challenge
Name:	Dark Witches: A Harry Potter Femmeslash Darkfest
Date(s):	2012–2013, 2017 (incomplete)
Moderator(s):	scarletladyy
Founder:	scarletladyy
Type:	fest / gift exchange
Fandom:	Harry Potter
Associated Community:	darkwitches on LiveJournal; archive link
URL:
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Dark Witches is a Harry Potter fic and fanart exchange for dark femslash works. It first ran in 2012 and returned in July 2013 for a second round. In 2017, there was an attempt to revive the challenge as a prompt fest, but it was ultimately cancelled.

Rules

Dark Witches is a gift exchange, where each participating writer or artist creating a fanwork for another participant. Gifts are originally post anonymously, with the creators of each work are announced in a "Reveal" a the end of the fest.

As a femslash darkfest, Dark Witches requires that all submissions "focus heavily on at least one femmeslash pairing and one dark subject matter." Examples of "dark subject matter" listed include: "psychological trauma, non-consensual sexual situations, major angst, tragedy, abuse, grief, drug use, horror, violence, torture, pure evil, good intentions gone wrong, Voldemort-Wins, Death Eater and/or Azkaban scenarios and so on."

The fest requires participants to be over 18, and submissions to be either a fic of a minimum of 1,000 words or a completed piece of art created specifically for the fest. RPF, crossovers, and sexual situations featuring underage characters are prohibited.

2012 Fest

The 2012 fest ran from May through October 2012. Twenty-one fanworks were produced for the challenge, all of which but one were fanfiction. Three of the stories were written by pinch-hitters after drop-outs.

The most popular pairings featured in the fest were Hermione/Ginny, Bellatrix/Andromeda, Pansy/Ginny, and Hermione/Pansy, all with two works each. Pansy Parkinson was the most popular character, featured in seven works, with Bellatrix Lestrange, Hermione Granger, and Ginny Weasley close runners-up, featured in six works each.

Timeline

• May 1, 2012: Sign-ups opened
• May 31, 2012: Sign-ups ended
• June 10, 2012: Assignments sent out
• September 20, 2012: Submissions due
• October 1, 2012: Posting began
• October 28, 2012: Masterlist & Reveal

Masterlist

Week 1

The Best of Intentions (fic) by dexstarr for tempered_rose

Bellatrix/Hermione, R. Hermione always was too smart for her own good.

Has there ever been a girl so lucky? (fic) by thusspakekate for dexstarr

Pansy/Rose, R. She cares for her mistress, just as her mistress cares for her.

The Sanity of Bellatrix Lestrange (fic) by tempered_rose for madamemilfoy

Narcissa/Bellatrix, R. Narcissa is asked to come to Azkaban to see her sister. It isn’t until she leaves that she finds out the truth.

Hermione’s Helping Hand (fic) by accio_catawba for hamimifk

Hermione/Ginny, NC-17. With the stress of the war gone, Ginny’s nightmares return. Hermione helps her best friend.

I'm here for you (art) by imera for pretty_panther

Daphne/Pansy, G. Pansy doesn't think she can continue any more, she was never that strong. Daphne is determined to help Pansy through the difficulties she is facing.

Her Breath Away (fic) by xwetparchmentx for featherxquill

Rita/Bellatrix, NC-17. She always had taken her breath away, though times have changed now, and Bellatrix Lestrange must do so in return.

Week 2

Wounds Not Seen (fic) by pretty_panther for deirdre_aithne

Hermione/Luna, PG-13. Neither of them break down at first, and then the war is over and there is nothing to hold on for. Both Hermione and Luna struggle with depression in the aftermath of their time as prisoners of the Malfoys, and slowly help each other through it.

Fire (fic; pinch-hit) by lash_larue for enchantedteapot

Ginny/Pansy, NC-17. Pansy doesn't know exactly why someone she doesn't even like affects her so strongly, but that's not the only surprise. When you play with fire...

Rough Love (fic; pinch-hit) by nearlyconscious for gamma_x_orionis

Bellatrix/Andromeda, NC-17. Andromeda is not as compliant as she used to be.

Sapphiria, or Something in the Blood by madamemilfoy (fic) for The Community

Narcissa/Cho, NC-17. Deviant secrets are housed in Malfoy Manor, even after the fall of the Dark Lord. Will Cho Chang manage to escape them, or become one of them?

A Push Towards Madness pretty_panther (fic) for xwetparchmentx

Narcissa/Rita, R. Madness is practically a birthright in the House of Black and Narcissa is no exception. Voldemort has won the war but still she is not utterly content with her life. Then Lucius becomes the Minister for Magic and a reporter comes to interview Narcissa, discovers too much, and awakens the inner madness.

Carpe Corpus (fic) by deirdre_aithne for The Community

Pansy/Luna, Pansy/Luna/Ginny, NC-17. "There was something I needed your assistance with, actually. Something I found in a book." When she turned with the glass in hand, Granger had twisted around to give her a curious look, and Pansy continued, "Do you know what 'carpe corpus' means, Granger?"

Week 3

Unbreakable (fic) by jhestia85 for accio_catawba

Hermione/Ginny, NC-17. Hermione Granger has been asked to investigate Pansy Parkinson’s successful and suspicious escort company. But when she joins Glamour Escort Services under a false identity, she’s forced to make decisions she never expected to.

Runaway (fic) by gamma_x_orionis for The Community

Bellatrix/Andromeda, NC-17. Andromeda has good reason to want to leave home, but not good enough reason for Bellatrix.

A Slave for the Mistress (fic) by dragongirl997 for jhestia85

Ginny/Lavender, R. You don’t have to be in Slytherin to be a snake in the grass, sometimes you just need time and access...

What Never Should've Been (fic) by hamimifk for dragongirl997

Hermione/Pansy, R. It should be known that what follows is a recount of a series of events surrounding two girls that should not have happened, accumulating in a single moment that should never had been, but was.

Need (fic) by featherxquill for fluffyllama

Amelia Bones/Bellatrix Lestrange, PG-13. Amelia Bones is the consummate Auror: stoic, professional, moral. But even the most dependable individuals have their moments of madness.

Girl Secrets (fic, pinch-hit) by imera for flipflop_diva

Fleur/Ginny, NC-17. Often when traditions stand in the way to get a divorce, an affair can be the saviour for someone.

Week 4

Detention Can Be Torture (fic) by enchantedteapot for imera

Pansy/Ginny, NC-17. Sometimes, Pansy had to admit, extra-curricular activities did have their merits.

Escape With Me, Into A Fantasy (fic) by flipflop_diva for thusspakekate

Hermione/Pansy, NC-17. Pansy was just looking to have some fun. Hermione was just her play thing. But sometimes things don't go according to plan.

Remembrance (fic) by fluffyllama for The Community

Narcissa/Molly, PG-13. 'Potter Wins Battle to Include Death Eaters and Muggles in New War Memorial' – headline from the Daily Prophet, May 19th 1998

2013 Fest

The second Dark Witches fest ran from July through December 2013. Fifteen fanworks were produced for the challenge: 1 piece of fan art, 12 fanfics, and 2 combinations of fic and art. Three of the gifts were created by pinch-hitters after drop-outs.

The most popular pairing this round was Bellatrix/Narcissa, which featured in two gifts; all other works featured unique pairings. The most popular character was again Pansy Parkinson, with five works. Bellatrix Lestrange, Hermione Granger, Ginny Weasley, and Narcissa Malfoy were runner-ups with three works each.

Timeline

• July 1, 2013: Sign-ups opened
• August 1, 2013: Sign-ups ended (extended from July 25)
• August 7, 2013: Assignments sent out (originally August 1)
• November 1, 2013: Submissions due
• November 18, 2013: Posting began
• December 15, 2013: Masterlist & Reveal

Masterlist

Week 1

Revenge and Ruffle (fic & art) by amorette for _afterism

Narcissa/Hermione, NC-17. They would never find her, and even if they did, it would be thrilling to see their shock at what she had become.

Trapped on the Outside (fic) by leontinabowie for pretty_panther

Pansy/Lavender, R. After being attacked by Greyback, Lavender is too afraid to leave her apartment. Pansy tries to understand, but sometimes she feels just as trapped.

Hope is a Four Letter Word (fic) by dexstarr for writcraft

Amelia Bones/Charity Burbage, PG-13. She wouldn't lose Amelia to the Bones family curse.

Loved Out of Sight (fic) by ChokolatteJedi for josephinestone

Ginny/Luna, PG-13. Ginny and the others are brought to the hospital wing after the Department of Mysteries battle.

A Matter of When (fic) by josephinestone for arjd

Pansy/Astoria, PG-13. Daphne has recently been released from hospital for depression, and is finding it difficult to cope.

Chasing Ghosts (fic; pinch-hit) by nearlyconscious for flyingharmony

Andromeda/Daphne, PG. Two witches busy running away from the ghosts of their past; two witches busy looking for the ghosts of their past. They meet.

Week 2

They Withered All (fic & art) by writcraft for chokolattejedi

Ginny/Pansy, R. Pansy and Ginny have never been friends, but after Hogwarts they find themselves in the same places, with a similar group of friends. One evening when Pansy comes to her for help, Ginny becomes more embroiled in Pansy's life than she ever thought possible.

Sisters Most Snakelike (fic) by valkyriekat_47 for The Community

Bellatrix/Narcissa, R/NC-17. Bellatrix waits outside Wiltshire Manor to see if she can lead Narcissa into going on a sex spree with her before Narcissa is married. Any means to and end? Hehe.

Echoes of War (fic) by pretty_panther for flipflop_diva

Luna/Hermione, PG-13. Hermione shuts down after coming back from Australia. The Ministry remains in chaos and it isn't safe for her to start work in the Wizarding world but she doesn't feel she belongs in the Muggle world either. For lack of anything else to do she becomes Head Girl and returns to Hogwarts, lost within her own mind and with only one person willing to keep trying to pull her out of it.

I Shut My Eyes and All the World Drops Dead (fic) by arjd for The Community

Padma/Pansy, Pansy/Lily Luna, NC-17. After twenty-five years on the job, Auror Pansy Parkinson deals with her most challenging case yet.

A Cry Before Battle (fic) by _afterism for The Community

Lily/Bellatrix, NC-17. She keeps one hand on her wand, and thinks she's safe.

Coming Home (art; pinch-hit) by deslea for amorette

Lavender/Ginny, NC-17. Lavender didn't turn after Greyback's attack, but she didn't stay the same, either. She left England to figure it all out, leaving Ginny behind. When she came back, Ginny saw her coming...

Week 3

Teacher's Pets (fic; pinch-hit) by amorette for dexstarr

Pansy, Daphne, Alecto, R. What happened to all the girls when Alecto Carrow asked them to stay after class?

The Nightingale That Refused To Sing (fic) by flyingharmony for valkyriekat_47

Bellatrix/Narcissa, past Andromeda/Narcissa, PG-13. With the loss of her sister, Narcissa also loses her voice.

Let Me Say I'm Sorry (Now, Before You Go) (fic) by flipflop_diva for leontinabowie

Pansy/Bellatrix, Pansy/Hermione, NC-17. In a world where Lord Voldemort reigns, Pansy knows she has to do whatever it takes to survive. But she never expected the cost to be this high.