The Challenges

The Participants

Congratulations for making it this far! As promised, on the stroke of midnight (well, for me at least) these challenges are being posted! You all may now begin the claiming and begin the chaming processes! This time, we're going to run things a little differently with simply having one person claim each challenge (as there are over 50 challenges). If; in the rare case we have all the challenges claimed within the first two weeks, (or a fair chunk of them even) I'll re-open the claims for a second person for challenges. Like I've always said in regards to this fest: it's all about the fics.

Now, without further ado, here are the challenges. Everything is fairly self-explanatory. If there's a name beside the challenge, it means it's taken and will then be struck out. All challenges will be claimed on a first come; first served basis, just like last time. When you've chosen your challenge or challenges, just head on over to the the rules. If you are in need of a beta, I have a nice long list of loverly people (some new, some old) who have offered their services. Remember, beta-ing is a requirement.Check the beta list out here. They're ready and waiting to help you with all your beta-ing needs.

I'd also like to thank all the members of the Celtic MoonStar community for the wonderful challenges they submitted. Just about all of the challenges for this round of the fest came from them, so I thank them for their love and support and great ideas. Not all the suggestions were used (like last time) and I'll be hanging onto them for later fests. Yup... I'm not stopping at two. ^.^

And now, the challenges. All challenges that have the red font face (like this) have been taken by one person. Once a challenge has the strike out text (like this) it cannot be claimed by anyone else.

Claiming is now closed and ended. Thanks to everyone who claimed! Remember, fics are due by the 16th of January, but you can send them in now!

The New Moon Challenges:
Two People Per Challenge
  1. MWPP era: the quartet decides to play a secret santa and one of the pups ends up having to buy a gift for the other. However, he uses this as a chance to show the other just what he means to him. [Claimed by Siryn] [Claimed by Nightengale]
  2. Sirius and Remus visit the beach (One of the proper, Victorian British beaches like Blackpool or Brighton or Great Yarmouth or something) at Christmas. Must include: a stick of rock, a tacky knick-knack, and an ingenious use of tangerines. [Claimed by Bodge] [Claimed by Cassyl]
  3. The pups first Christmas at Hogwarts together. Remus and Sirius are disappointed with their gifts from home. [Claimed by Severinstir] [Claimed by Miss Anonymous hp]
  4. It's the middle of winter, their last year at Hogwarts, and the Marauders decide to go camping! In the words of Sirius Black, "It's Bloody Freezing!" but that's nothing that a few Warming Charms and a few warm bodies can't cure. [Claimed by Vixenette] [Claimed by Prostheticballerina]
  5. Snowmen! Sirius, being the decidedly less eloquent of the two, tries to tell Remus he loves him through snowmen. (Ever seen Calvin's snowmen from the comic strip Calvin & Hobbes? Yeah, except maybe less mutilation.) May include magical moving ones, coloured, badly sculpted ones, suggestive ones, full-out scenes, snowmen with personalities and who attempt blindly to have disturbing conversations with onlookers, etc. At the end, the two have a veritable crowd of melting snowmen outside. [Claimed by Marauder] [Claimed by CynicalPirate]
  6. One of our puppies sing. One of our puppies play an intrument. So our puppies decide to "play" together. Think SMUT (and Winter). [Claimed by Jo]
  7. Sirius finds out that Remus's Muggle parent is Jewish and celebrates Hanukkah when they go home for the holidays. So, Sirius decides to get into the holiday spirit and "try" to celebrate it with him. [Claimed by Aleksandra]
  8. Harry finds out about Sirius and Remus's old relationship over the Christmas holiday the same way he found out about his father: through a Pensieve that he entered without permission. (Perhaps Harry was spending the holiday with Remus...?) [Claimed by CitiKitti] [Claimed by Lady DeathAngel]
  9. Remus's birthday is in December. It is written in the law that when a werewolf comes of age (17 years) they can be brought in for experimentation. It's sixth year, the Whomping incident has already occurred, Remus is not speaking to Sirius, and he's about to be hauled of to a werewolf experimentation facility. [Claimed by Maryn] [Claimed by Lady DeathAngel]
  10. Setting: Hogwarts. Time: New Years. Subject: A bet. Suspects: Sirius & James. Victims: Remus & Lily. Involved Objects: Fireworks. Outcome: Unknown. [Claimed by Julie] [Claimed by Black Lupine]
  11. Sirius has been feeling kind of lonely ever since James started going out with Lily. Remus decides to start spending more time with him in hopes of keeping Sirius's mind off his changing friendship, especially over Christmas. Who could have ever known that the werewolf was so distracting? [Claimed by Jo] [Claimed by Froda]
  12. Hogwarts womanizer, Sirius Black, decides to give Hogwarts gentleman, Remus Lupin, kissing lessons--after several glasses of firewhisky and bribes of chocolate, of course. [Claimed by Kat] [Claimed by Froda]
  13. The Christmas Harry spends at Grimmauld Place, Sirius decides that his relationship with Harry isn't going to be the only one that he fixes... But Remus seems to be avoiding him. [Claimed by LupinsLittle Sister] [Claimed by Jackie Lupin]
  14. The Seventh Year Holiday Ball is coming up and Sirius's parents never had the decency to teach him out to dance. Insert Remus. [Claimed by E. Kathleen Roper] [Claimed by luckilyotto]
  15. It's little baby Harry Potter's first Christmas/New Years. Lily and James invited our two favorite pups over for the holidays, and Remus or Sirius realize just how much they want kids while playing with Harry and start to doubt his relationship with the other man. [Claimed by Neatokates] [Claimed by Doodle]
  16. Sirius didn't get Remus's permission before putting both of their names on the Christmas gift they give Harry in OotP. Remus is not happy about this. (Kudos to therearenonames for noticing that Remus and Sirius seem to be avoiding each other on Christmas Day in OotP, but I'd like to imagine that it's because of something recent rather than because of something years ago.) [Claimed by Sheepybunbuns] [Claimed by Deena]
  17. It's Christmas, and one of the pair forgot to get a gift. Improvisation, excuses, etc. [Claimed by Jadis31] [Claimed by Kasi]
  18. For every day in December, one of the pair dreams of the other, and focuses on one reason he loves him each day. Maybe it's entirely one-sided, until the dreamer wakes up Christmas Morn to find the very confused/lost one waiting outside without a clue why he's there. [Claimed by Cobalt Violet] [Claimed by Krabapple]
  19. It's Christmas Day at the Potters, and James and Lily are too sick to celebrate. Remus and Sirius have to help out with Baby Harry. Peter is up to you. [Claimed by Fleshdress]
  20. Remus is employed as Father Christmas at a shopping mall, and Sirius comes to sit on his lap and whisper what he wants for Christmas in Remus's ear. [Claimed by Mempy] [Claimed by Cathy]
  21. A Christmas Wish comes true. You decide who makes the wish and what it is. [Claimed by Mempy] [Claimed by Cricket]
  22. "Remus the poor gay werewolf/Had a very tidy flat/And when he went to clean it/He found Sirius like... that." <- The puppies misquote Christmas carols to each other/misquoted carols are integrated into the storyline. [Claimed by Amethyst]
  23. The legendary Christmas present, from Sirius AND Remus to Harry. How did they settle on Practical Defensive Magic and its Use Against the Dark Arts, and what were their first choices? [Claimed by sullacat]
  24. Remus wasn't raised Christian/Wizarding, and doesn't celebrate Christmas. [Claimed by Kestrel] [Claimed by Miss Anonymous hp]
  25. It's Christmas Eve and Remus has to work a night shift at a terrible job. How does Sirius help him out? [Claimed by Westlee]
  26. The new motorbike! Sirius gets his new motorbike as a treat for himself on lonely Christmas in his new flat, and shows up at Remus's family's house that night, wanting to take Remus for a ride. Remus, however, hates with a desperate passion anything that flies, and everything goes tragically, comically wrong. (airsickness, fear of heights, etc.) [Claimed by MK] [Claimed by Kasi]
  27. For St. Nicholas's Day Sirius decides to leave some... interesting presents in Remus's shoe.
  28. Remus and Sirius have their first date ever the night before Christmas. [Claimed by Niwa] [Claimed by Enderxenocide]
  29. Christmas in Grimmauld Place during OotP. Requirements: adheres to canon, part or all of it takes place in Remus and Sirius's bed, and contains the entire lyrics of "God Rest Ye Merry Hippogriffs". [Claimed by Deena]
  30. Sirius ran away from home on Christmas Day. [Claimed by PhoenixFire Lia] [Claimed by Statelines]
  31. Sirius and Remus have broken up, and both think it was for the best...until a complete surprise happens on New Year's Eve that makes them rethink the idea. [Claimed by Elizabeth] [Claimed by Hikari]
  32. Remus and Sirius make Christmas biscuits, until one decides the other is more tasty. Smut. [Claimed by Just Juxtaposed] [Claimed by Prostheticballerina]
  33. MWPP era. It's Sirius and Remus's first Christmas as a couple, and when Sirius visits on Christmas day just about everyone in Remus's enormous family has their own opinion about him. [Claimed by Aura] [Claimed by Aralias]
  34. The Holly King and the Oak King battle each winter solstice, the Holly King rising victorious. On this thought, what happens when the holidays bring resentment between the puppies? What is the cause of this anger? [Claimed by Bodge]
  35. When Remus has a New Year's Eve party Sirius discovers that his boyfriend has a few hidden sides to him. Can't involve Remus cheating on Sirius. [Claimed by Just Juxtaposed] [Claimed by Bodge]
  36. At a New Year's Eve party, Sirius and Remus analyse James and Lily's relationship, and by the end of the conversation, they end up looking at each other in a new light. [Claimed by Jo] [Claimed by Rice]
  37. The Christmas after Sirius has run away from home, he and Remus sneak back into Grimmauld Place to get something important that Sirius left behind. [Claimed by Seara Ward]
  38. Remus and Sirius end up babysitting both ickle Tonks and Harry on New Year's Eve. [Claimed by Kestrel]
  39. What if they had to have a child staying over Christmas and weren't happy about it, a small kid or a teenager, a child one or the other didn't know they had. The point is: brats they don't want are there. [Claimed by TurnedSkyward]
  40. Use the marauders to retell a famous Christmas story such as "The Little Match Girl" or "Gift of the Magi". [Claimed by AllisonBlair]
  41. Sirius is going Christmas shopping--the problem is, no one will tell him what they want. To rememdy this, Sirius goes snooping, and he is surprised at what he finds out. [Claimed by E. Kathleen Roper] [Claimed by Syiana]
  42. New Year's Eve, 1995. The boys are determined to have a fun New Year's Eve, even if it's spent at 12 Grimmauld Place. (Bonus points for getting Snape to come to a party at 12GP.). [Claimed by Dark Twin] [Claimed by LupinsLittle Sister]
  43. The Christmas Prank (Hogwarts-era Marauders). [Claimed by Evangeline]
  44. Two words: Yule Ball. Three words: No same-sex dates. A credo: Like a little rule ever stopped a Marauder from doing exactly what he wanted? [Claimed by Kelsey] [Claimed by Emily]
  45. Christmas Disaster: Lily, in a fit of nesting instincts, is determined to throw a Real, Old-Fashioned Christmas for her friends. Of course, it's an utter disaster. Suggested elements: Fire, gloopy pudding, "Remus and Sirius, will you come out from under the mistletoe for FIVE MINUTES?!" [Claimed by Aralias] [Claimed by Lia]
  46. James has been invited to Lily's for Christmas. It's Sirius's first Christmas at Hogwarts without his best friend. [Claimed by Lia] [Claimed by Tamony]
  47. It's an apparently innocuous Christmas dinner, but there's a lot more going on underneath the surface than any one person realises. The challenge is to write the same scene four times--once for each of the Marauders--and without it getting monotonous! [Claimed by Xellas] [Claimed by Abbey Road]
  48. MWPP era: A story involving the well-worn(!) 'magic mistletoe' plot device, only this time it backfires before they have a chance to put it up around the school.
  49. With all four boys staying over the holidays, privacy is hard to find in the Gryffindor Dorm. [Claimed by Jadis31] [Claimed by Hikari]
  50. Remus really shouldn't have opened his gift from Sirius in front of his parents. [Claimed by Torimiko] [Claimed by Kati-Lara]
  51. New Years resolutions are hard to keep under the best circumstances, and these aren't the best circumstances. [Claimed by Esinde Nayrall] [Claimed by Klena]
  52. It's their first Christmas together at Twelve Grimmauld Place, and Sirius wants to give Remus something special. (Besides himself, that is.).
  53. Sirius and Remus have their very own Christmas tradition. [Claimed by Nassima] [Claimed by Fadagaski]
  54. Hanukah! fic: one of the pups celebrates Hanukah with the other. [Claimed by Anna]
  55. "I saw Moony kissing Santa Claus.." - someone walks in on Remus & Sirius kissing under the mistletoe. [Claimed by CitiKitti] [Claimed by bedsheeteyes]
  56. AlternateUniverse: The fabric of the Veil thins enough on Christmas day to allow communication. [Claimed by Marauder]
  57. AlternateUniverse: What if Sirius and Remus switched problems? Remus's family hates him and Sirius is an outcast. (You decide how and why: use the same reasons, use different reason, and make it a 24-hour Christmas look upon, etc.) [Claimed by Jadis31] [Claimed by Lindarielle13]
  58. AlternateUniverse: Harry's first christmas with Remus and Sirius. [Claimed by Yeats]
  59. AlternateUniverse: Holiday Cheer! - Sirius and Harry go out together to pick up the perfect gift for Remus. [Claimed by Krabapple]
  60. AlternateUniverse: Sirius never fell through the Veil, but Remus did. Who does Sirius rely on to help him rescue Remus, and how do they manage it? (perhaps Snape?) Must fall out of the Veil at the stroke of midnight on Christmas Morning. [Claimed by Miss Anonymous hp] [Claimed by Kelly]

As much as I'd like to, I don't own the puppies or any other character in the Harry Potter universe. All characters, places, and specific tradmarked items are copyright to JK Rowling, and various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.

Layout art is copyright to Kristin.

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