Laurie jumped up the stairs to the portrait into the common room. She answered it's question with a thought-filled and smart answer, and was let in immediately after praise, like always with the portrait. She had always felt this way of entry was much more fun than just remembering a stupid password anyone could hear and use to get in. Though she was sure there was a slim chance they'd get in, she though it was funnier that if they answered the question wrong they wouldn't be let in until someone smart enough to answer it answered it. Laurie crossed the room to her favorite chair in front of the fire and grabbed the book she was in the middle of reading out of her bag.

As she settled down to read, she heard another Ravenclaw grumbling about her schedule. Laurie happened to love hers. She loved a good challenge and there would be a great workload this year. Maybe slightly less than last year, though. After all, it had been O.W.L year. Well, maybe not since the Death Eaters were there last year, but still. Laurie smiled and said, "It gets easier after a while. You settle into a routine, you know?" She looked back to her book and read the next few sentences, wondering how the girl would respond.