Heraldry

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At least some content in this article is derived from information featured in Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery. Spoilers will be present within the article.

"Is this all real? Or has this been happening inside my head?"

The topic of this article is of a real-life subject that has been mentioned "in-universe" in a canon source. The Harry Potter Wiki is written from the perspective that all information presented in canon is true (e.g., Hogwarts really existed), and, as such, details contained in this article may differ from real world facts.

"There will be no more Sorting at Hogwarts School. There will be no more Houses. The emblem, shield, and colours of my noble ancestor, Salazar Slytherin, will suffice for everyone."

— Lord Voldemort proclaiming his victory at the Battle of Hogwarts^[src]

Heraldry refers to the design, display and study of armorial bearings, more commonly known as coats of arms, which are traditionally unique to an individual person, family, state, or organisation. An heraldic achievement is normally comprised of a shield (or escutcheon), helmet, and crest, together with any accompanying devices, such as supporters, badges, heraldic banners, and mottoes.^[1]

The development of heraldry as a symbolic language dates back to the High Middle Ages and, given that, at the time, wizard and Muggle societies were not segregated, heraldic motifs were also common in the wizarding world.

Blazons[]

In heraldry, a blazon is a formal description of a coat of arms, flag or similar emblem, from which the reader can reconstruct the appropriate image. This language has its own vocabulary, word-order and punctuation (all of Anglo-Norman origin), designed to eliminate ambiguity of interpretation.^[2]

Armiger	Blazon	Notes
Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry	Quarterly; I Gules a Lion rampant to sinister Or, II Vert a Serpent erect Argent langued of the First, III Or a Badger statant regardant Sable, IV Azure an Eagle wings displayed and elevated of the Second beaked of the Fourth; and over all an Escutcheon of the Second charged with the letter 'H' of the Fifth. The motto, "draco dormiens nunquam titillandus" to be carried in an Escroll beneath the shield.	Alternative versions include Atop the shield, a knight's helm mantled Or from a wreath Sanguine.
House of Black	Sable, a chevron Argent, between in chief two Mullets and in base a Sword Argent; for Supporters on either side a Greyhound Argent, gorged Sable. The motto, "Toujours Pur" to be carried in an Escroll beneath the shield.	An alternate version is blazoned: Party per chevron reversed Gules étincellé Sable and Argent, a chevron inverted Sable between in chief a dexter hand holding a wand bendwise sinister and in base three crows in chevron inverted. Atop the shield, a skull mantled Vert. The motto, "Toujours Pur" to be carried in an Escroll beneath the shield.
Durmstrang Institute	Argent, a stylised onion done surmounted by a bicapitate eagle Or with a halo Gules, above a stag's skull Gules, on its antlers two escrolls Vert carrying the name of the school in both Latin and Cyrillic script Or; in chief a spur and in base, dexter an inverted letter 'D' and sinister a letter 'D' proper, all Gules; all within a bordure diminished Vert.
Beauxbatons Academy of Magic	Azure, two wands Or in saltire, tips in chief the sinister surmounted by the dexter, three mullets Or on either side.
Gringotts Wizarding Bank	Tenné, a key Or palewise inverted and reversed surmounted by an annulet Or charged with the word GRINGOTTS in letters tenné, within the annulet a decayotton Or. Atop the shield, a pair of wings and escrolls. The motto, "Fortius Quo Fidelius" to be carried in an Escroll beneath the shield.
The Daily Prophet	Quarterly Argent and Sable in the first a letter D Or; second and third a mullet Argent; fourth a letter P Or; for Supporters two riding boots Sable and two arms Argent holding a rolled newspaper of the same; atop the shield an owl Argent wings displayed and elevated, supporting in the dexter talon a sword Argent.
St Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries
Headless Hunt	Quarterly Azure and Or in the first quarter a flame Gules, on the second quarter two swords Azure in saltire tips in chief, in the third quarter a bugle Azure bendwise, in the fourth quarter the head of a horse Gules. Atop the shield, a knight's helm mantled Gules from a wreath Sanguine. The motto, "Acephalus Equitatus" to be carried in an Escroll beneath the shield alongside two severed ghost heads.
Medieval Assembly of European Wizards	Quarterly Purpure and Argent 1st a blackletter letter 'M' Argent; 2nd a blackletter letter 'A' Purpure; 3rd a blackletter letter 'E' Argent; 4th a blackletter letter 'W' Purpure; for Supporters two wands in saltire, tips in chief; atop the shield, a witch's hat Sable from a wreath Purpure between a crescent moon Argent to dexter and a Mullet Argent to sinister
Malfoy family	The family crest paid homage to Salazar Slytherin, bearing the colours black, green and silver, as well as images of several serpentine creatures. The Latin words Sanctimonia Vincet Semper appeared inscribed on a silver banner, meaning Purity Will Always Conquer
Lestrange family	A crow surmounting two Ls
Rookwood family