Remus Lupin's Advice to Hogwarts Graduates

Remus Lupin’s Advice to Hogwarts Graduates

Eat Chocolate.

If I could offer you only one tip for the future, chocolate would be it. The long-term benefits of chocolate have been proven by healers, whereas the rest of my advice has no basis more reliable than my own meandering experience. I will dispense this advice now.

Enjoy the power and beauty of your youth. And may you live long enough to look back on it and say: "Those were the days!" The only thing sadder than watching the power and beauty of your youth fade is not getting to watch it.

Don't worry about the future. Or worry, but know that worrying is as effective as trying to solve an Arithmancy equation by drinking butterbeer. The real troubles in your life are apt to be things that never crossed your worried mind, the kind that sink their teeth into you at 2 a.m. on some sweltering Tuesday morning.

Do one thing every day that scares you. Actually, I have a boggart you could face later today, if you’re interested.

Howl.

Don't be reckless with other people's hearts. Or their livers. Or their throats. Just don’t forget to take your potion, no matter what else is happening in your life.

Floss. This is especially important if you have big, sharp teeth.

Don't waste your time on jealousy. Merlin, if all you have to worry about is who’s doing better or getting more than you are, I want your life!

Remember compliments you receive. Forget the insults. It takes a while to develop the right mindset, but you can do it.

Keep your old love letters. Keep letters from old friends too. You can enchant a shoebox to hold them all even if there seem to be far too many to fit.

Stalk. But try not to pounce.

Don't feel guilty if you don't know what you want to do with your life. When in doubt, you can always devote your life to fighting the next dark menace. Sad to say, there will always be another one coming along.

Get plenty of chocolate. Did I mention that already? And tea. Tea is good.

Maybe you'll marry, maybe you won't. Maybe you'll have cubs – er, children, maybe you won't. Maybe you'll divorce at 40, maybe your pack will howl on your 75th wedding anniversary. Whatever you do, don't congratulate yourself too much, or berate yourself either. Your choices are half chance. So are everybody else's.

Enjoy your body. This will be easier for some than for others.

Dance, even if it’s only with wolves.

Read the map, but always remember to wipe it blank afterwards.

Do not read "The Standard Encyclopedia of Dark Creatures". It contains a lot of misinformation, especially where werewolves are concerned.

Get to know your parents. You never know when you may need them to defend you against the Department of Dark Creatures who want to have you "put down".

Understand that friends come and go, but with a precious few you should hold on. Work hard to bridge the gaps in geography and lifestyle because the older you get, the more you need the people who still liked you even when they learned your dark secret. (And sooner or later, everybody has one.)

Live in Liverpool once, but leave before it makes you hard. Live in Manchester once, but leave before it makes you soft. Travel.

Accept certain inalienable truths: Prices will rise. No matter who you are, someone somewhere is prejudiced against you. You, too, will get old. And when you do, you'll fantasize that when you were young, prices were reasonable, people were more open-minded and children knew better than to pet strange dogs.

Don’t pet strange dogs. Some of them bite. And some of them aren’t dogs.

Don't expect anyone else to support you. Just be glad if you can get a job.

Don't transform during the full moon or by the time you're 40 you will look 65. To avoid transforming, remember what I said about strange dogs.

Be careful whose advice you buy, particularly if it's coming from Mundungus Fletcher. Actually, be careful when you buy anything from Mundungus Fletcher. Selling it is a way of fishing it from amongst other people's belongings, polishing it up and getting it off his hands before the Aurors come for him, I'm afraid.

But trust me on the chocolate.