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

[houyhnhnm102]

No: HPFGUIDX 155137

Ken:

> I looked over the thread from last January and I see a 
> lot of discussion of what actual snake Nagini could be. 
> Is there any known snake that fits?

houyhnhnm:

Well, as I pointed out in message 155099, the triangular head suggests 
a viper.  But as Neri pointed out in message 155106 (and as I should 
have remembered from clinical hematology), viper venom exhibits 
coagulant, not anti-coagulant properties.  But real snakes do not have 
language.  So I think Nagini is a magical snake and she has whatever 
characteristics Rowling chooses to give her. Attempting to determine 
what kind of RL snake she is in order to deduce clues is probably not 
a fruitful line of inquiry.