Welcome to Harry Potter Theory. Today we're discussing Voldemort's faithful pet (and Horcrux) Nagini. More specifically, we'll be addressing why the seemingly kind-hearted woman turned pure EVIL.

Alright, so, most of you will know Nagini from the original Harry Potter novels and films. She was an enormous snake and an unquestionably loyal servant of Lord Voldemort, who he often kept close at hand to help him carry out his dirty work...you know, eating the odd witch or wizard, attacking Members of the Order of the Phoenix, and the likes of that. Of course, as we find out in the final installment of the series, Nagini is also one of Voldemort's seven Horcruxes – which is likely another reason he kept her nearby at all times. (That was why according to Albus Dumbledore, at least.)

Anyway, being that Voldemort, born Tom Marvolo Riddle, was a descendant of Salazar Slytherin, he possessed the ability to speak parseltongue – an extremely rare language that, put plainly, meant that he could talk to snakes. His ability to communicate with Nagini further shows why they would've had a close bond, and perhaps explains Voldemort's reasoning behind making Nagini a Horcrux in the first place. Here was a creature that he could speak to but who couldn't betray his confidence in the way a human could. But wouldn't it be a bit dicey to LITERALLY put your life in the hands – err, scales – of a snake? Well, here's where Nagini's backstory gets interesting: she actually used to be a woman.

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