avisacademy

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Avis - Academy of Witchcrafts, Wizardry & Aviation.

Aerial view, main hall, potions classroom, dining hall & the silver gate.

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Avis house emblems.

Harpy, Wyvern, Drakon & Cecropian.

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Avis uniform with school cloak.

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Uniforms

Cloaks - Avis has its own line of flying cloaks called the Avis Cloaks of Flight which are required as part of the uniform dress code and come in a variety of colors representing the distinct houses. New students are provided with this cloak in its “neutral state” which sports the school's signature colors: black and white, as well as the Avis Crest which represents ALL Avis houses.

Immediately after the “Sorting” or Cloaking Ceremony the students’ cloak will change color to one of four variants to represent their house - directly correlating to their wing type and student identity.

Those in the house of Harpy will don white and golden cloaks, those in Wyvern will don black and purple cloaks, those in Drakon will don black and red cloaks and those in the house of Cecropian will don white and orange cloaks.

Binary uniforms - “Male students will wear a white long sleeve collared dress shirt neatly tucked into black and white plaid dress trousers and fastened with a black leather belt.

Female students will wear the same but with the option of a knee-length skirt instead of dress pants. A skirt will only be required on formal occasions.

Mary Jane dress shoes are customary for all students, platform for girls and flat for boys.

And none will go without their house ties around their collar - not without consequence, of course.” -Headmaster Arch

Non-binary uniforms - “We - the livelihood of Avis - will not stand for discrimination or exclusion and we feel it is important that all known as sky wizards feel comfortable in their environment. As a school - our history has been unashamed in its progressive ideals and we support the rights of those who feel uncomfortable with the concept of binary gender - or that it does not suit their identification.

Gender within the world of bird, mammal, reptile and insect is complex - and we feel it is only appropriate to allow and encourage our pupils to represent their true selves by whatever means necessary.

We hope to make more progress on gender neutral uniforms in the near future, although we will continue to honor the current school uniform, scholars of the non-binary, we ask you to come forward to request permissions to suit your needs in private when you are comfortable.” -Headmaster Arch

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Cloaks and Wands

Flying Cloaks - Recreational Flying Cloaks are a form of enchanted cloak first crafted in 1646 by self-proclaimed alchemist John Cartwright (commonly referred to in pop culture as the “Modern Icarus”) and are still made today despite being outlawed from the seventeenth to the eighteenth century after Cartwright’s untimely (and suspicious) death.

With the semi-recent legalization, recreational flying remains both a topic of debate and a popular pastime for witches and wizards all over the Wizarding Americas and are a great attraction for those who visit from overseas (many international wizarding communities have yet to lift the ban of flying cloaks - citing concerns over magic exposure) making the controversial cloak a symbol of American Patriotism and Nationalism to its defenders.

Flying Cloak laws and restrictions -

Wand laws and restrictions -

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Sorting Ceremony

The sorting ceremony of Avis is a unique one and is alternatively called the “Cloaking Ceremony.” There are four distinct houses of Avis: Harpy, Wyvern, Drakon and Cecropian - These houses correlate directly with the students' wing biology.

When new students are introduced to Avis, they are brought to the cloaking hall where they are given an Avis Flying Cloak and are directed to put it on - one-by-one the students must jump and free fall from a 20ft tall flight platform above a pool of water to reveal their wings. Once their wings are revealed, the cloaks bond with the witch or wizard and will never reveal themselves for anyone besides the will of their masters.

Additionally, the cloak will also reveal the house of the student based on the type of wing they possess.

Note: This ceremony tradition is based on the theory of “Flight-Fright-Bonding” which describes the relationship of fear, flight and freedom and their effect on the soul, and is one of the many controversial topics of Avis and it’s practices.

While the house sorting system may seem fairly vague or shallow, it is important to note that the students of aviation have different requirements for their wing types and its commonly argued that the importance of safety, education and diversity remain key factors of the house sorting system - the widely-accepted theory of “Flight Personality” or “Wing Personification” may also be at play.

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Houses

Harpy - Those who belong to the House of the Harpy bear wings of avian/birds

Represented by the Docile Harpy and the colors white and gold.

Knowledgeable, adventurous, peaceful

Students of the house of Harpy are known for their superior judgment, quick thinking and scholarly attitude. House Harpy produces the most academic prodigies of the houses.

Harpy students value knowledge most - their greatest weakness is their overly critical judgment of others and insensitivity to subjects they are uneducated on, Harpies believe to already know everything and tend to overlook discrepancies in their judgment and would rather preserve their ego than admit mistakes.

The greatest strength of a Harpy student is their wit, while their know-it-all attitude can be tiring- ultimately their quick calculation and judgment calls come from a need to help others.

Wyvern - Those who belong to the House of the Wyvern bear wings of bats and carry the gene of Chiroptera

Represented by the Gothic Bat Wyvern and the colors black and purple.

Generous, outgoing, witty

Students of the house of Wyvern are known for their social grace, fast reflexes and superior ability to adapt. House Wyvern produces the most theatrical prodigies of the houses.

Wyvern students value social relationships most - their greatest weakness is their extreme commitment to others and ignorance to their own needs, Wyverns would rather adapt to insufficient situations at the cost of their own comfort than to choose self preservation over others.

The greatest strength of a Wyvern student is their generosity, while it is hard for them to understand their own needs - they are incredibly in tune with the needs of others and will go out of their way to make sure they are met.

Drakon - Those who belong to the House of the Drakon bear wings of flying reptilians/dragons

Represented by the Western Fire-breathing Dragon and the colors black and red.

Courageous, ambitious, prideful

Students of the house of Drakon are known for their competitive nature, regal ambition, and compelling thirst to conqueror. House Drakon produces the most athletic prodigies of the houses.

Drakon students value success most - their greatest weakness is their over-ambition and tendencies to put others down for a chance to win, even going so far as to overexert themselves in the pursuit of victory, Drakons would rather win by any means necessary than to lose honourably.

The greatest strength of a Drakon student is their perseverance, where others would rather complain or give up - Drakon students know how to get things done and can be a great help to others who are struggling - if not competition of course.

Cecropian - Those who belong to the House of the Cecropian bear wings of flying insects

Represented by the Goliath Cecropia Moth and the colors white and orange.

Creative, empathetic, kind

Students of the house of Cecropian are known for their emotional sensitivity, empathetic nature, and the desire to prove oneself. House Cecropian produces the most artistic prodigies of the houses.

Cecropian students value safety most - their greatest weakness is their constant fear of all things new and unfamiliar, many Cecropians would rather isolate and alienate themselves than step out of their comfort zone - leaving their lives bland and equally as uncomfortable as it is insufficient.

The greatest strength of a Cercropian student is their gratitude, while it is hard for them to create new memories - they are always grateful in the end for new lessons and skills, even when the experience may be a failure itself.

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Founders

Raina Avis

“‘First and foremost, (above political views) Raina is a person, and a dear one to the Avian descendance (community) - aside from the modern-day ‘sky wizards.’ I’ve known Raina personally since our time under Ilvermorny’s scholarship. She's a spectacular witch - her wings are her pride and joy;’ Olly said, chuckling as he reminisced.

‘The sky community is so much greater than the mundane divergency of modern politics. Sky wizards deserve rights! -And I mean that. I only hope that our initiation will shed some light on the issues at hand and show others that flight is not something to be feared - but a gift.’” -Olly Cherub, member of the Order of the Aerial Sorcerers in an interview by some newspaper

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Introduction

“Avis - Academy of Witchcraft, Wizardry & Aviation - located on Mount Aether, Oregon - is the first and only American wizarding school to dedicate itself to the art of flight, offering elite flying lessons, speed and endurance training, competitive flying sports and regular wing checkups - making it the perfect school for scholars with an affinity for the skies and descendants of avian heritage alike.” - The New York Ghost paper

Location

Avis was founded in Oregon atop Mount Aether of the Cascade Mountain Range (Also known as “The Sky Kingdom”)

Appearance - The school is described as a mix of cabin-like woodwork and castle-like architecture and is the epitome of cozy avian comfort, with many features dedicated to the art of flight such as perches, flight platforms, wall grips and balconies.

The building itself is large and sturdy, hanging off the side of the mountain with support beams and railings. It’s easy to find hidden tree houses and flight training courses built all around the school campus grounds, and of course the castle is incredibly accessible to all flying creatures.

Protection - The school is heavily guarded by various protective enchantments so as to not be seen by non-magic eyes - like it’s counterpart: Ilvermorny, this protection sometimes presents as a wreath of mist or the illusion of millions of pine trees.

Transportation - Avis is reached only by a series of portals across the U.S for long distance travel.

Once students have entered the portals they will be transported to the town hall of Town Name at the base of Mount Cliff Heights.

They must make their way up the mountain by hiking and carriages pulled by non magical horses until they reach the checkpoint (far from no-maj territory) known as “The Celestial Gate” where the horses will then be swapped out for the winged Aethonan.

Students of legal flying age will be given their flying cloaks and the option to fly the rest of the way.

Note: Mount Aether is impossible to reach without the use of flight - making it incredibly safe from the threat of no-maj invasion.