What is the motto of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry in J.K. Rowling’s books?

The motto of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry is “Draco dormiens nunquam titillandus.”

The Latin phrase translates as “Never tickle a sleeping dragon.” It appears on the Hogwarts crest in the Harry Potter books and films. The motto humorously expresses a practical warning while matching the school’s association with magic, danger, and dragons.

The phrase is not a spell. “Expecto Patronum,” for example, is a defensive charm used by Harry and other characters, while the Hogwarts motto is an institutional saying. Confusing the two changes the answer from a school emblem to a piece of magical dialogue.

Hogwarts is located in Scotland in the fictional world of the series. Its four houses are Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin, each represented on the school crest alongside the central Hogwarts “H.”