Harry Potter / Harry Turtledove Connection

Way back in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (Book #2), our charming trio needed Boomslang skin for the Polyjuice Potion. I assumed that Boomslang was yet another mythical creature. Then I'm reading along in a Harry Turtledove book, and they go to the Boomslang Tavern. It winds up, the boomslang is a highly poisonious tree snake in southern Africa. Who knew?