HEADCANON THAT ILVERMORNY HAS A DRAGON PROGRAM
OKAY HEAR ME OUT:

It would be highly probable for this to exist! Ilvermorny is in the ideal location for being able to have dragons. New England is filled with forests and mountains, which are easy places for dragons to hide themselves from nomaj eyes. And Ilvermorny, being located on one such mountain, with enchanted mist, wouldn’t reveal dragons to nomajs should they have such a program.
Since dragons are common in the area, it’s easy to get a hold of them. And they also don’t have to take them out of their environment. I personally headcanon that they have a few dragon barns. This would allow them to keep an eye on their dragons, as well as let them out for a casual flight once a day. And the dragons would still be in their home environment even when in the barns. I’d say they’d be pretty content. (Plus if one isn’t you can just let it go at a distance from the school)
So it’s possible!! And logical, if you ask me. But just imagine it!

The program is like any other class, really, but you can choose whether or not to take it. If you do take it, there are perks. Well, first off, you have a class where you get to learn to care for and ride dragons, etc. But during your free time, if the professor allows, you can come to the barns and clean out the stalls or wash dragons that need their scales scrubbed down; all that good stuff. Basically, when you’re not in class you get to go help out around the barns with whatever needs doing.
Students who want to pursue this, as it is their passion (or whatever reasoning they have behind that), can ask to do an independent study with the professor. Should they be granted this, the next egg the school receives is their responsibility. They will be there when it hatches, and then raise said hatchling. They’ll have to put all they learned into use and raise a dragon! (Don’t worry; if they mess up the staff/professor take over for them)
During the first course, flying is not an option. But should you continue dragon care classes, and take the second course, then you can begin to learn the ins and outs of flying and flying equipment. You gotta be dedicated, people. Gotta be dedicated. (I SO AM, BRING IT ON)
Most of their dragons are species native to the New England mountains and forests, as would be expected. But since it is an educational program, after all, they’ve received the occasional donation of an exotic dragon egg, or one just not in their area. This exposes students to dragons they wouldn’t have been able to work with otherwise.
RACES. This may seem ridiculous, but hold on a sec. Ilvermorny has the mist and mountain cover; they don’t have to worry about nomajs spotting any dragons flying around. So, advanced students who have shown proficiency in flying can have the occasional race as practice. There are very strict rules, of course, to ensure the safety of both dragon and rider. Whenever one of these races is announced, the students are always super excited. They all want to go watch. Especially those in the competing riders’ houses. They consider it as intense as a Quidditch match.
Oh, and a note; the care and keeping of magical creatures course is a required prerequisite. You think you can care for dragons without knowing the workings of the hippogriff? Think again.
There are plenty more ideas and possibilities; these are just the ones that have been floating around my head. Feel free to add your own!

Horned Serpents
•are usually HUGE procrastinators
•if they’re not, they are the literal definition of a geek
•no offense
•but really
•like to party bc why not
•parties at Ilvermorny are LIT ASF
•always get the best grades at the end of the day
•I mean, we ARE the “smart” house
•are always tutoring students from other houses
•also tutor the younger Horned Serpents so that they can be the best
•date people from other houses because horned serpent x horned serpent is too much crazy
•no one can actually handle that
•are also bomb at sports
•bomb at everything bc we the best tbh
•I’m just a student in Horned Serpent so don’t judge the head canon ok

01. Older Pukwudgies paired with young Wampuses in some kind of mildly dangerous challenge - the Puk just wants to watch out for the Wampus kid but the kid wants to win so bad so the older kid really has to work so they both can win, and the Wampus has to learn that winning isn’t always everything

02. Older Wampuses having to camp with first year Thunderbirds (which is fucking difficult) so they learn to improvise and teach the Thunderbird a bit about self-discipline

03. Horned Serpent-Thunderbird being the two houses most likely to be aloof and/or anti-social and having to survive a weekend in a cabin together - having to work for and with each other and rely on each other (they probably hate this weekend ngl)

04. Horned Serpent -Pukwudgies pairs having to equally care for a baby magical creature they know little about - so sometimes the Pukwudgie has to give up their charge to the HS and the HS has to take on a nurturing role while the Pukwudgie learns about the importance of research and also has to learn to let go of taking care of the creature at the end of the weekend.

05. Thunderbirds complaining loudly and creatively about the exercises, Wampuses not really liking it but stoically bearing it because “it’s good for us,” Pukwudgies initially being excited before they realize how hard dealing with other houses can be, and Horned Serpents hiding silently in the library and fervently hoping they’ll be overlooked.

“He knows me,
                   every inch of my tar black soul

http://ilvermornylibrary.tumblr.com/pos … -this-fall
REMINDERS TO ALL ILVERMORNY STUDENTS!
THIS FALL, REMEMBER TO LINE UP IN AN ORDERLY FASHION FOR NOMAJ-BORN RETRIEVING YOUR WANDS! AFTER THAT, SECOND TO SEVENTH YEARS WILL GATHER ON THE CIRCULAR BALCONY TO WATCH ALL THE FIRST YEARS BE SORTED.
FIRST YEARS WILL PROCEED TO THE WAND CHOOSING FIRST (FOR THOSE WHO DON’T ALREADY HAVE ONE), WHERE THEY WILL RECEIVE A WAND LIKELY WITH A CORE OF THUNDERBIRD TAIL FEATHER, WAMPUS CAT HAIR, OR ROUGAROU HAIR. WE HAVE VERY FEW WANDS OF ANY OTHER CORE AVAILABLE. ALSO, IF YOU ALREADY PURCHASED A WAND, HAVE A FAMILY WAND, OR A FOREIGN WAND IT MUST BE APPROVED PRIOR TO THE START THE SORTING CEREMONY (FOR A FULL LIST OF POSSIBILITIES, GO HERE). A MAJOR WANDMAKER WILL BE PRESENT FOR THE INSPECTION. PRIOR TO THE 1965 REPEAL, ALL STUDENTS HAD A WAND CHOOSING AT THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR, NOW ONLY NOMAJ BORN OR THOSE WHO HAVEN’T DECIDED ON A CORE HAVE A WAND CHOOSING, THE OTHER STUDENTS HAVE A WAND INSPECTION FOR SAFETY. ANY WANDS FOUND FAULTY WILL REQUIRE THE STUDENT TO ALSO ENTER THE WAND CHOOSING.
AMERICAN WAND CORES:

THUNDERBIRD TAIL FEATHER CORE
THESE WANDS ARE MADE BY SHIKOBA WOLFE, WHO WAS OF CHOCTAW DESCENT, AND WAS PRIMARILY FAMOUS FOR INTRICATELY CARVED WANDS. WOLFE WANDS WERE GENERALLY HELD TO BE EXTREMELY POWERFUL, THOUGH DIFFICULT TO MASTER. THEY WERE PARTICULARLY PRIZED BY TRANSFIGURERS. THEY ARE SOMEWHAT TEMPERAMENTAL, AND ARE MORE PRONE TO ACCIDENTS THAN THE OTHERS. THEY WILL SOMETIMES ACT OF THEIR OWN ACCORD. IT TAKES A LONG TIME TO TAME AND PERSONALIZE THEM, BUT THEY ARE CAPABLE OF THE STRONGEST AND MOST OUTRAGEOUS SPELLS. THESE WANDS ARE THE SECOND RAREST OF THE THREE WAND CORES.

WAMPUS CAT WHISKER CORE
THESE WANDS ARE MADE BY JOHANNES JONKER, A MUGGLE-BORN WIZARD WHOSE NO-MAJ FATHER WAS AN ACCOMPLISHED CABINET MAKER, HE TURNED HIMSELF INTO AN ACCOMPLISHED WANDMAKER. HIS WANDS WERE HIGHLY SOUGHT AFTER AND INSTANTLY RECOGNIZABLE, AS THEY WERE USUALLY INLAID WITH MOTHER-OF-PEARL. THEY ARE THE MOST COMMON OF THE CORES, AS HIS WANDS ARE SO POPULAR AND HIS CORES EASY TO CULTIVATE. THEY PRODUCE THE MOST CONSISTENT MAGIC, AND ARE THE MOST LOYAL. IT IS NEAR IMPOSSIBLE TO CHANGE THEIR ALLEGIANCE ONCE WON.

ROUGAROU HAIR CORE
THESE WANDS WERE MADE BY VIOLETTA BEAUVAIS, THE FAMOUS WANDMAKER OF NEW ORLEANS, SHE REFUSED FOR MANY YEARS TO DIVULGE THE SECRET CORE OF HER WANDS, WHICH WERE ALWAYS MADE OF SWAMP MAYHAW WOOD - UNTIL RECENTLY, AS HER DAUGHTER DAHLIA BEAUVAIS TOOK OVER THE BUSINESS. NOW THEY CAN BE MADE IN A VARIETY OF WOODS. THEY USED TO HAVE A BAD REPUTATION, AND IT IS TRUE THAT IT TENDS TO BE EASIEST TO TURN TO THE DARK ARTS, THOUGH IT WILL NOT INCLINE THAT WAY OF ITS OWN ACCORD. THEY ARE CAPABLE OF THE GREATEST RANGE OF MAGIC, AND TEND TO LEARN MORE QUICKLY THAN THE OTHER TYPES. MANY HEROES UTILIZED THESE WANDS, AND THEY ARE THE RAREST OF THE THREE CORES.

RARE - WHITE RIVER MONSTER SPINE CORE
THIAGO QUINTANA CAUSED RIPPLES THROUGH THE MAGICAL WORLD WHEN HIS SLEEK AND USUALLY LENGTHY WANDS BEGAN ENTERING THE MARKET, EACH ENCASING A SINGLE TRANSLUCENT SPINE FROM THE BACK OF THE WHITE RIVER MONSTERS OF ARKANSAS AND PRODUCING SPELLS OF FORCE AND ELEGANCE. FEARS ABOUT OVER-FISHING OF THE MONSTERS WERE ASSUAGED WHEN IT WAS PROVEN THAT QUINTANA ALONE KNEW THE SECRET OF LURING THEM, A SECRET HE GUARDED JEALOUSLY UNTIL HIS DEATH, AT WHICH POINT WANDS CONTAINING WHITE RIVER MONSTER SPINES CEASED PRODUCTION. THESE ARE ONLY OBTAINED BY ILVERMORNY STUDENTS VIA THEIR FAMILY.

RARE - JACKALOPE ANTLER CORE
FIRST RECORDS OF JACKALOPE ANTLER WAND CORES WERE BY ISOLT SAYRE. SINCE THEN, MANY WANDMAKERS HAVE TRIED THEIR HANDS AT USING THE ANTLERS FOR CORES. JOHANNES JONKER EXPERIMENTED WITH THEM BEFORE SETTLING ON WAMPUS CAT HAIR. JACKALOPE CORES ARE DIFFICULT TO OBTAIN, AS THEY ARE SURPRISINGLY VICIOUS CREATURES - BUT CAN BE LURED BY A GOOD WHISKEY. THEY WERE FREQUENTLY USED IN THE PAST BUT ARE INCREDIBLY CAPRICIOUS AND TEMPERMENTAL CORES, EXPLAINING THEIR RARITY NOW. THEY CAN BE POWERFUL TRANSFIGURATION AND CHARMS CORES WHEN THEY DON’T THROW A HISSY FIT.
(VIA POTTERMORE)
CANADIAN WAND CORES

SOME CANADIAN STUDENTS DECIDE TO GO SOUTH OF THE BORDER TO PICK UP AN AMERICAN WAND, JUST AS A FEW AMERICAN FAMILIES GO NORTH TO PURCHASE A WAND IF THEY ARE SO INCLINED. THERE ARE TWO MAJOR WANDMAKERS AND WAND CORES IN CANADA.

SPIRIT BEAR “KERMODE” HAIR CORE
THE WANDS COME FROM A FAMILY OF WANDMAKERS IN BRITISH COLUMBIA, STARTED BY A WIZARD NAMED ROSSWOOD - TO WHICH A (MOSTLY) WIZARDING TOWN WAS NAMED. TODAY THAT CAREFULLY HIDDEN WIZARDING COMMUNITY IS WORKING HARD TO PROTECT THEM FROM THE OVER-FISHING DONE BY NO-MAJS WHICH HAS ENDANGERED THESE MAGICAL BEASTS. THESE WANDS ARE EASILY RECOGNIZABLE FOR BEING THICKER THAN MOST, WITH INTRICATE CARVINGS. THEY NEVER HAVE ANY NON-WOOD EMBELLISHMENTS, AND ARE RUSTIC BUT BEAUTIFUL. SPIRIT BEAR CORE GENERALLY MAKES FOR A WAND WITH VERY POTENT MAGICAL STRENGTH. THEY ARE CAPABLE OF IMPRESSIVE SPELLS, BUT CAN TAKE A VERY LONG TIME TO MASTER. THEY ALWAYS BOND STRONGLY WITH THEIR OWNER, BUT OVER A LONG AMOUNT OF TIME AS THEY DO NOT FORM OR CHANGE ALLEGIANCE EASILY. IT CAN ALSO BE PRONE TO ACCIDENTS, BEING SOMEWHAT TEMPERAMENTAL AND STUBBORN. THEY TAKE TO HEALING, DIVINATION AND DEFENSE AGAINST THE DARK ARTS MAGIC VERY EASILY.

MANITOU SEAL WHISKER CORE
THESE WANDS ARE MADE BY THE INUIT WITCH ELISAPIE KILABUK, AFFECTIONATELY REFERRED TO AS ELISAPIE WANDS. SHE WAS A HIGHLY CURIOUS GIRL, AND DEVELOPED A WELL ENOUGH RELATIONSHIP WITH THE LOCAL QALUPALIK MERFOLK THAT THEY REVEALED TO HER THE SECRETS OF THE GREAT ANMIAQ SEALS, CHILDREN OF SEDNA, BETTER KNOWN AS MANITOU SEALS; MAGICAL CREATURES THAT INSPIRED MANY MISTAKEN MERFOLK SIGHTINGS ACROSS CANADA. ELISAPIE TRAVELED CANADIAN COASTS GATHERING WHISKERS FROM VARIOUS TYPES OF MANITOU SEALS AND FINALLY SETTLED ON THE ST. LAWRENCE, FAMOUS FOR IT’S MERMAID AND SEAL SIGHTINGS. MOST OF HER WHISKERS COME FROM THE MARITIMES, QUEBEC, OR LABRADOR. THE WANDS OFTEN HAVE A STONE, SCALE, OR SHELL AND MAY BE STAINED IN ALMOST ANY COLOUR. THESE WANDS, LIKE THE CREATURE, ARE MASTER TRANSFIGURERS AND ARE ADEPT WITH POTIONS AND ILLUSIONS. OFTEN PRIZED BY ANIMAGUS, THEY OFFER RELIABLE AND CONSISTENT MAGIC. MORE THAN MOST, THEY NEEDED TO BE TREATED WELL, ANY ABUSE AND THE WHISKER WILL ‘DIE’ AND NEED REPLACING.

NO BOTHER AT ALL! I THINK YOU’RE NOT THE ONLY ONE WHO WOULD LIKE A MASTER POST OF INFORMATION ON THE HOUSES, THANK YOU FOR ASKING! SO FAR, POTTERMORE HAS VERY LIMITED INFORMATION ONCE YOU’RE ACTUALLY SORTED - MOST OF THE INFORMATION GLEANED COMES FROM THE ILVERMORNY HISTORY SHE WROTE- AS THE HOUSES TOOK ON A LOT OF THE PERSONALTY OF THE FOUNDERS.
HORNED SERPENT - ISOLT SAYRE -
REPRESENTS THE MIND, FAVOURS SCHOLARS. THE MOST WISE AND MAGICAL OF THE HOUSE BEASTS. WE KNOW THE MOST ABOUT ISOLT, THUS THE MOST ABOUT THIS HOUSE. SHE WAS INTELLIGENT, HER MAGICAL LEARNING GLEANED FROM HOME SCHOOLING USING LIMITED ACCESS TO A WAND. HER CLEVERNESS ALSO ALLOWED HER TO EVADE HER TALENTED AUNT FOR MANY YEARS AND WITH THE HELP OF HER KINSHIP TO A REAL HORNED SERPENT, EVEN BECAME A MAKER OF WANDS. MEMBERS OF THIS HOUSE THIRST FOR KNOWLEDGE AND SKILL, AS WELL AS BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD AROUND THEM. THEY ARE IDEA MAKERS, AND PROBLEM SOLVERS. THEY EXCEL MOST WITH COMPLEX MAGICS AND LONG RITUALS. IF THEY HAD AN ELEMENT, I THINK IT WOULD BE WATER -EITHER THE CALM CONCENTRATION OF A SMOOTH LAKE, OR THE OVERWHELMING COMPLEXITY OF RAPID RIVER SYSTEMS.

PUKWUDGIE - JAMES STEWARD -
REPRESENTS THE HEART, FAVOURS HEALERS. THE MOST TENACIOUS AND TRICKY OF THE HOUSE BEASTS. JAMES WAS AN UNCOMMONLY COMPASSIONATE AND ADAPTABLE NO-MAJ MAN. HE WAS A BUILDER AND CREATOR, HAVING BEEN A STONE MASON AND DESIGNED MUCH OF ILVERMORNY. PUKWUDGIE HOUSE IS FILLED WITH GROUNDED, RESPONSIBLE INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE RELIABLE AND LOOKED UP TO EVEN IF THEY ARE AN OUTSIDER. THEY ARE NAMED AFTER A TRICKSTER CREATURE, AND SO CAN HAVE THAT PART OF THEIR NATURE AS WELL. THEY FOLLOW THEIR HEARTS, AND THIS CAN BE BOTH A GOOD AND TOUGH WAY TO LIVE A LIFE - BUT THEY WOULD ARGUE THE MOST REWARDING. LUCKILY THEY BRING RESPONSIBILITY TO THEIR QUEST FOR HAPPINESS. THIS IS THE HOUSE WITH THE BEST SENSE OF HUMOUR, AND IS MOST SKILLED WITH PRACTICAL MAGIC. IF THEY HAD AN ELEMENT, I THINK IT WOULD BE THE STURDINESS OF EARTH WITH RESOURCEFULNESS OF GREENERY.

WAMPUS - WEBSTER BOOT -
REPRESENTS THE BODY, FAVOURS WARRIORS. THE MOST AGGRESSIVE AND FEARED OF THE HOUSE BEASTS. WEBSTER WAS AN ARGUMENTATIVE BUT FIERCELY LOYAL BOY, SO OFTEN ARE MEMBERS OF THE WAMPUS HOUSE. THEY ARE COMPETITIVE, FOR WEBSTER CHOSE WAMPUS BECAUSE IT WAS FAST, STRONG, AND ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO KILL. HE GREW UP TO BE AN ACCOMPLISHED WIZARD, AUTHORING A CHARMS TEXTBOOK THAT IS STILL USED TO THIS DAY. THE MEMBERS OF THIS HOUSE ARE GO-GETTERS, PEOPLE WHO AREN’T AFRAID TO ACT. THEY ATTRACT THE WARRIOR SPIRIT FOR A REASON, THEIR LOYALTY AND FIERCENESS MAKE THEM GREAT LEADERS AND INSTRUMENTS FOR TAKING IDEAS INTO REALITY. THEY KNOW THEMSELVES WELL, AND WILL FIGHT FOR THEIR BELIEFS WITHOUT HESITATION. THEY ARE MOST SKILLED AT DEFENSIVE SPELLS, AND INCANTATIONS. IF THEY HAD AN ELEMENT, IT WOULD BE THE SIMMERING OF COALS TO THE RAGING INFERNO OF FIRE.

THUNDERBIRD - CHADWICK BOOT -
REPRESENTS THE SOUL, FAVOURS ADVENTURERS. THE MOST POWERFUL AND IMPRESSIVE OF THE HOUSE BEASTS. CHADWICK WAS AN INTELLIGENT AND OFTEN TEMPERAMENTAL BOY, SO MEMBERS OF THE HOUSE CAN ALSO HAVE THOSE TRAITS. THEY ARE IMPULSIVE ADVENTURERS, OR AT LEAST CRAVE CHANGE AND THE NEW OR INTERESTING. CHADWICK GREW UP TO BE AN AUROR FOR HIRE, COMBINING HIS LOVE FOR ADVENTURE WITH THE SENSE OF PURPOSE AND MEANING THAT COMES FROM A CONNECTION WITH ONE’S SOUL. THUNDERBIRD HOUSE ARE TRAILBLAZERS, WITH STRONG OPINIONS AND INEXHAUSTIBLE MENTAL ENERGY. THEY LOATHE BOREDOM. THIS HOUSE TRIES TO NEVER LEAVE A PLACE THE SAME AS WHEN THEY ARRIVED, AND ARE MOST SKILLED WITH TRANSFIGURATION AND INVENTIVE MAGIC. IF THEY HAD AN ELEMENT, IT WOULD PROBABLY BE THE BOUNDLESS ENERGY OF AIR - ESPECIALLY A LIGHTNING STORM.
http://ilvermornylibrary.tumblr.com/pos … d-you-tell

http://ilvermornylibrary.tumblr.com/pos … ny-sorting
SO EVERYONE’S BEEN BUSY COMPARING THE HOUSES OF ILVERMORNY TO HOGWARTS HOUSES, BUT I’D LIKE TO PROPOSE AN ALTERNATIVE. I THINK ILVERMORNY SORTING REQUIRES ASKING A SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT TYPE OF QUESTION.
HOGWARTS HOUSES ARE CHOSEN BASED ON TRAITS YOU CONSIDER IMPORTANT AND VALUE BEYOND YOURSELF, E.G. HERMIONE THINKS BRAVERY IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN “BOOKS AND CLEVERNESS.” THAT’S BECAUSE THE FOUNDERS WANTED TO SEE THOSE VALUES IN OTHERS (I.E. THE STUDENTS THEY CHOSE).
ON THE OTHER HAND, THE CHARACTERS OF THE ILVERMORNY FOUNDERS “LEAKED INTO THE HOUSES,” SO IT SEEMS TO DIVIDE ALONG THE LINES OF HOW YOU DEFINE YOURSELF AND WHAT TOOLS YOU PREFER TO USE IN YOUR APPROACH TO LIFE.
HORNED SERPENT: “I’M DEFINED BY WHAT I THINK.” (SCHOLARS, MIND.)
WAMPUS: “I’M DEFINED BY WHAT I DO.” (WARRIORS, BODY.)
THUNDERBIRD: “I’M DEFINED BY MY EXPERIENCES.” (ADVENTURER, SOUL.)
PUKWUDGIE: “I’M DEFINED BY WHAT I FEEL (OR MAYBE LOVE).” (HEALERS, HEART.)
THIS COULD APPLY TO A VARIETY OF HOGWARTS HOUSES. SO, FOR EXAMPLE, A WAMPUS IS DEFINED BY ACTION, BUT WHY THEY FIGHT (TO DEFEND THE WEAK, TO PROMOTE THEMSELVES OR THOSE THEY CONSIDER FAMILY, BECAUSE IT’S WISE, OR BECAUSE IT’S RIGHT) DEFINES THEIR HOGWARTS HOUSE. MEANWHILE, A HORNED SERPENT IN RAVENCLAW MIGHT THINK, “MY MIND DEFINES ME, BECAUSE KNOWLEDGE AND/OR CREATIVITY IS IMPORTANT.” THE SLYTHERIN COUNTERPART MIGHT THINK, “MY MIND DEFINES ME, BECAUSE THAT IS HOW I CAN ACHIEVE WHAT I WANT OUT OF LIFE.”