Bathilda Bagshot is a fictional character in the Harry Potter series. Mentioned throughout the books as author of A History of Magic. She comes into the Deathly Hallows story when Rita Skeeter (journalist) writes a posthumous biography: The Life and Lies of Albus Dumbledore mentioning her as a source and also as the aunt of Gellert Grindelwald, who Dumbledore was famous for having defeated in a duel. Bathilda subsequently died, or was murdered by Voldemort, who left his snake Nagini in her body to animate it, as a trap waiting for Harry Potter to visit. Because it was Nagini doing the talking, and only Harry could hear her, Bathilda's body never faced Harry or Hermione when speaking.