Transfiguration Question

[corinthum]

No: HPFGUIDX 59068

I wrote:
 
> <<I maintain my theory, supported by the "Quidditch through the
Ages" quote I cited earlier, that an the brain is indeed tranfigured.
 So a human tranfigured into almost anything is going to lose
intelligence.
> But an animal or object tranfigured into a more intelligent form has
the potential to gain intelligence, if it is introduced to them
(either by the spell itself or by later learning).>>

And Brief Chronicles replied:

> :)  Okay, so by that we must infer that Cedric's rock is now just
sitting there, thinking about what it was like to once be a dog.  :) 
How strange. And how oddly inhumane.  :)


Me agin:

A real pet rock.  :)

But I don't think so.  Being that a rock has no brain, any thoughts
and abilities gained while in dog form would be lost when returned to
its original form.  So no, I don't think there are tea kettles and
needles  and other objects sitting around Hogwarts angrily plotting
revenge for being given animal life and then returned to inanimate
object state.  :) 

I suppose my little thoery doesn't quite work going the other way,
though.  From what we saw with Draco the ferret, it seems that thigs
return to their previous state when retransfigured, regardless of the
effects of the original transfiguration.

-Corinth, who hopes this little detail is clarified in a future book,
because it's really beginning to bug me.  :)