Of essence divided?

[Steve]

No: HPFGUIDX 154317

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "justcarol67" <justcarol67 at ...>
wrote:
>
> distaiyi wrote:
> <snip>  "But in essence divided?"'
> > 
> > This to me appears to bolster the argument that perhaps
> Nagini is a horcrux for LV. If LV was not part of the 
> snake how could harry see through the snakes eyes...
> > 
> > This has probably all been covered before and I simply
> >  missed it.
> >
> 
> Carol responds:
> Snape provided the explanation: Voldemort was possessing
> Nagini at the time. (OoP, the "Occlumency" chapter, IIRC.) 
> So Harry sees through the snake's eyes and feels her urge 
> to bite, but he also senses Voldemort's will guiding the
> snake. ...edited...
> 
> I do believe that Nagini is a Horcrux, but her being one
> isn't necessary to explain the "in essence divided" 
> comment. ...edited...
> 
> Carol, who thinks that Wormtail's talents as a potion maker
> have been underestimated ...
>

bboyminn:

In general, I tend to agree with Carol. Nagini may or may not be a
Horcrux, but I don't think that is the primary purpose of Dumbledore's
'in essence divided' statement.

Yes, it could mean that Voldemort and Nagini are inextricably
connected, yet still each maintaining it's own independant will.
However, it could just as easily mean that while HARRY and Voldemort
are connected, the are 'in essence divided' and each maintains his own
free will. 

This could be important in this moment because Dumbledore is trying to
determine what influence Voldemort has over Harry. If Harry is under
Voldemort's direct control and they are NOT in essence divided, then
Harry and Dumbledore are in big trouble. Harry has in a sense become a
complete instrument of Voldemort's. 

It seem however, that while Voldemort can play tricks that try to
influence Harry's actions, Voldemort can not actually compel Harry to
act against his Harry's own will. They are 'in essence divided'. 

Specifically, as to whether Nagini is or isn't a Horcrux is a
difficult matter in my mind. It seems that Dumbledore concluded this
because he had run out of other more reasonable solutions, and was
left to speculate that Nagini was likely a Horcrux. But, personally, I
think the evidence is scant at best. One could conclude that, but one
certainly could not prove it. Voldemort already has Slytherin
connections through his existing Horcruxes, so why make another one
using Nagini? Perhaps, when Voldemort returned he was desperate to
complete his set of 6 extrenal Horcruxes and to have a complete set of
7, that he used whatever was at hand. This one suggested Horcrux seems
to be the weakest of them all (logically weakest), so, I am left to
wonder whether or not Dumbledore was mistaken on this issue. 

Just a thought.

Steve/bboyminn