Phoenix

Since 2017 was the year of the red rooster, which is close enough to a phoenix, Irvin's family requested he dress as a phoenix for their skit at the New Year's party. Naturally, Irvin was only too happy to oblige, since this was a costume with an ideal level of difficulty - challenging, but not impossible. The most work was done on the wings, where gold feathers were hot glued to the red fabric with the assistance of Irvin's friend Britney. A boa was sewn onto the bottom to be the fluffy edge of the wings. Additionally (not pictured), there is a plume of golden feathers sticking out the back, though they're probably not strong enough to lift wizards. A red body suit and two mardi gras masks completed the ensemble.

At the party, the phoenix entered to the crescendo of Conchita Wurst's song "Rise Like a Phoenix," and was met with thunderous applause.

Irvin brought the phoenix to MISTI-Con 2017, so he could show it off to actual HP fans. He wore it to the Merlies Fashion Show, once again strutting around the stage to "Rise Like a Phoenix." (This was made slightly difficult by the complete lack of peripheral vision.) He kept shaking his tailfeathers for all he was worth, as seen below, which went over really well with the audience. Unfortunately, that led to the phoenix molting his tailfeathers throughout the evening, and the golden feathers became a recurring gag throughout the fashion show... ending up in ladies' headbands and nifflers' pouches.

The Phoenix was awarded a Merlie for "Most Likely to Set Fire to the School."