Jake cleared his throat a little, and tried not to speak so softly.

"Well, I don't know about the others, but I was wandering down the corridor, coming from somewhere else, when I saw the portrait. Then I noticed the handle and came in... I haven't looked into it yet," he added. "Judging by people's reactions that doesn't seem like a good move."

Do they know what it is? Really? "Someone mentioned the Mirror of Erised, and the mirror kind of explains what it is in the inscription... but... it may not be the real one," Jake mused, only just grasping that idea.

"Professor," Jake went on again. "Sorry to be a pain, but do you think that the portrait has anything to do with the school motto? Never Tickle Sleeping Dragons, or something like that... because... someone kinda already tickled it..."

Jake left out the fact that it was his own idea, because it didn't exactly seem smart to reveal, though it seemed like a good idea at the time. He was glad he hadn't been the one to actually tickle... though he still wanted to give it a try with the portrait closed.