Question: Does this mean we have to be stringently canon compliant?
Answer: No. Although the prompts should stop at HBP, that does NOT mean stories/art have to stop there. Writers/artists will be able to create their own vision of events post-HBP (or post-OotP or post-whichever canon point they choose). The point is, you are NOT limited to writing within established canon if you want to go before or after the events of the book.
The bottom line is, we're ignoring DH and going back to a "simpler" starting point in canon, but how canon is "ended" will be entirely up to the writer/artist. Remember what you thought about canon BEFORE book [insert # here] came out? You can take up canon from there and continue it your own way.
For example, we don't know about the Dark Mark in PoA or that Snape is a spy, a half-blood, and knows Occlumency, so he could be a pure-blood, not a Death Eater, or a half-troll. You could speculate on what Lupin was doing during CoS, using only what we know about him from PoA.
Just because we're using canon as a startng point doesn't mean you can't create alternate realities, because that's the heart of what this fest is about: create different realities (and/or endings) for Snape and Lupin than they got in canon. The only things you can't do are cross-overs and alternate universes that take them out of the HP universe entirely.
Q: Does this mean we can't have kinks?
A: No, kinky smut is fine as long as you aren't under 18 or writing/drawing for someone under 18.
• Claims may be made by anyone, not just members of lupin_snape.
• ONE claim per prompt; there will be no doubling up.
• You cannot claim your own prompt. *g*
• You may claim one prompt at a time. If you finish your prompt and post the final product before July 31, you may come back and claim another prompt. You may hold only one prompt at a time, but may return to claim new ones as many times are you are able to finish the previous one before July 31.
• Stories should be no less than 1000 words, but there is no upper length limit.
• Artists should put in as much time as they feel reasonable. Remember, short art prompts may be sketches.
• You may collaborate on your claims; however, only one person is to make the claim.
• You must fulfill the basic premise of the prompt you claim, although if the prompt gives options or bonuses, you may choose to use or ignore them at will.
• If you are under 18, do not claim a prompt that asks for explicit sex or violence.
• Do no write or draw explicit sex for a prompt that says the requester is under 18.
• Stories or art must be posted in either the LJ, IJ, or DW community by July 31.
• Your story or art must remain exclusive to the community until the end of the fest. You can post links to your creation at any time, and after July 31, you may post your work anywhere.
• When you post your story or art, you must include a copy of the original prompt. However, you can put it behind a cut-tag for spoiler purposes.
• These prompts are exclusively for fest participants (those replying to make claims) until after the fest.
• Claiming is open for the duration of the fest, however, all prompts will be available for others to use after July 31.
The Prompt Post will be open until May 31, so please leave your prompts there!