Nagini etymology + snakes' lifespan?

[h2so3f]

No: HPFGUIDX 146228

BD wrote:
"Boa is a non-venomous constrictor while Nagini is a venomous cobra. 
Nagini is a name derived from Indian word Nag (meaning cobra) and 
the suffix -ini denoting the female of the species."  <SNIP>

CH3ed:
I wonder if JKR is doing the same with Nagini what she did with 
other mythical creatures in her books, you know, kind of reinventing 
them so they aren't exactly like what you hear of them elsewhere. 
I'm a bit skeptical about Nagini being a cobra, since cobras are 
distinctly recognizable by the hooded shape of its head with the 
upside-down V marking on the back. No such characteristics have been 
noted about Nagini in the books. 

carol  wrote: <snip>
"I had thought that the mortality of both human beings and living
creatures like Nagini would be a reason not to use one as a Horcrux
(most of the others seem to be made of incorruptible gold) because 
the Horcrux would be destroyed when the creature or person died, but 
if you're right, I can understand Voldy wanting his dear Nagini, the 
only living being he cares about (rather like Filch and Mrs. Norris),
sharing his immortality with him. But the argument against 
deliberately creating a *human* Horcrux still applies."


CH3ed:
I wonder if being made a horcrux would really make Nagini immortal, 
tho. It seems the horcrux soul pieces are not exactly immortal since 
they can be destroyed (tho their existence makes the home soul piece 
immortal... can't be destroyed in any way). I mean, the horcrux soul 
piece may live forever (until it is killed), but Nagini's soul could 
die, ay? How would this work? Would the LV soul piece take over 
Nagini's body when her soul dies? And along with the mortality of 
living things, DD is right in that putting a soul piece into 
something that has its own mind might not be such a good idea.

I wonder how loyal Nagini is (I mean, snakes aren't often portrayed 
as epitome for that trait), considering that LV probably shortened 
her life needlessly by possessing her when he went to case out the 
DoM (and bit Arthur in the process) in OotP. I'm assuming that LV's 
speech in the GoF graveyard scene that possession shortens the 
snakes' life span applies. Couldn't LV have used L. Malfoy instead? 
After-all, Malfoy and the other DEs did get into the DoM Hall of 
Prophesy to wait for Harry and co to arrive. I wonder how the fact 
that Nagini has her own mind would contribute to the destruction of 
the horcrux soul piece in her.


Carol wrote:
" wondering how Voldemort expects to protect his still mortal
body against aging since it's only his soul that's protected by the
Horcruxes"


CH3ed:
Good catch! The same thing with Tolkien's elves, maybe? I've often 
wondered about there being young elves and old elves... They don't 
die naturally but they don't seem to physically stop aging at a 
certain point either.

CH3ed  :O)