In essence divided?

[justcarol67]

No: HPFGUIDX 154328

Carol earlier:
> > 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...

bboyminn responded:
> 
> 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. 
<snip>
> 
> 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. <snip> 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. 

Carol again:
I'm not so sure. The snake emerging from DD's mysterious instrument
starts out as one snake then splits in two (one body, two heads)
prompting DD's "in essence divided" comment. I think he means that the
snake in the DoM was "in essence divided," with one body but two minds
or wills, its own (her own, sorry) and Voldemort's. Harry wasn't
present; he wasn't actually possessing the snake. He only dreamed that
he was because he was connected to Voldemort's mind via the scar. I
still think that Snape's explanation is not only adequate but complete.

As to whether Nagini is a Horcrux, which is irrelevant to the "in
essence divided" comment, I think we do have evidence, some of which
you snipped (LV's snakelike appearance, his use of her venom to create
and sustain him fetal form). There's also the fact that she didn't die
when he left her body--unlike Quirrell, whose life force was used up
by the possession, and also unlike the rats and snakes he possessed in
fetal form. It could simply be that the possession was too short too
weaken her, but I think DD's right that the strength of the bond
between them indicates that she could be a Horcrux. (He was right
about Memory!Tom, after all.) But I think he's wrong about the date
and that she must have been a Horcrux much earlier for her venom to
sustain Baby!mort's life like mother's milk.

And from a purely aesthetic and emotional perspective, I'd much rather
the last Horcrux be Nagini, whom Harry will surely have to battle in
any case, than Harry himself or his scar, which necessitates an
accidental Horcrux and Harry's self-sacrifice, as well as messy plot
complications that we don't need at this point. I'd really like to see
Harry use the Sword of Gryffindor, which he used earlier against the
Basilisk, to defeat Nagini. I seriously doubt that he's going to tame
her through Love (though they may exchange a few words a la Beren and
Glaurung--snake = Worm = dragon etymologically).

Carol, who has a headache and would really rather talk about the
attack of the Whomping Pine Tree on her nonflying Ford Taurus (which
miraculously escaped unscathed)