Enchanted Objects (Re: A Map of very little Brain?)

[prefectmarcus]

No: HPFGUIDX 43378

There have been several objects that act with a will of their own:
@Various mirrors comment upon the person using them.  
@Photo and portrait images talk and react to their viewers.  They 
even go visiting other images.  
@Suits of armor laugh at pratfalls.  
@Doors that will only open if asked politely.  
@Hogwarts' front doors can be trained to recongize people
@Mr. Weasley's car becomes wild in the forest
@Various action figures
@The Sorting Hat

And to the point of this discussion -
@The Marauder's Map
@Tom Riddle's Diary

All of these objects have one thing in common, they can think for 
themselves.  But where is their brain?

I think they capture the essense of people, rather than the people 
themselves.

Look at Colin's photo of Harry and Lockhart.  Image Harry refuses to 
be seen with Image Lockhart.  Harry certainly didn't program the 
photo, neither did Lockhart or Colin.  Harry's essense was captured 
in it.  A similar process must be involved elsewhere.  

These essenses exist long after their originals have past on.  Think 
of all the portraits of past Hogwarts' Headmasters that are still 
viable.

In the case of the Map's response to our favorite potions professor, 
I think it is the reaction of the creators' 15-year-old-selves to 
one.  

Now, could Harry talk to James?  Perhaps, but I doubt it would be 
very satisfactory.  It would be Harry talking to a 15-year-old boy 
with three best buds hanging around.  Map James simply is not Harry's 
dad.  Harry would do better looking at his dad's picture in the photo 
album.

Marcus