Who or what is Nagini? (Was: Harry Horcrux redux)

[houyhnhnm102]

No: HPFGUIDX 155099

Carol responds:

> Nagini is clearly magical and was probably encountered by 
> Voldemort on his travels (which probably did not include 
> Brazil). My guess is that she's a king cobra given her 
> size and the lethal nature of her venom

houyhnhnm:

King cobras have wide necks and chevron type markings.  Nagini is 
described as diamond patterned with a triangular head.  She sounds 
like a viper to me.  A little larger than the common European adder, 
but no doubt she belongs to a magical species of viper.  Vipers give 
birth to live young, btw :-D