For a moment our gazes locked together and my breath got caught in my throat. The sand haired boy had looked around and his laughing face was now upon mine. However, when he saw I was looking at him, his expression changed. His laugh faded, but not completely. He seemed out of breath as he looked at me — just like me probably — but the ghost of a smile still lingered around his pale lips. It felt a lot longer, but it was probably only a few seconds later that he looked away. I quickly returned my gaze to the front and tried my best to direct my attention towards the ministry official. However, this time it was even harder to focus. I didn't even feel the sun burn anymore, I just felt him. That, until I suddenly got pulled out of my thoughts by loud applause as Albus Dumbledore proceeded to the stage. Right, Black, pay attention now. You can't crave a boy you won't get and remember your motto: "boys are toys". Every toy looses your interest after a while and this one will too. I managed — with a lot of effort — to return my attention to the speaker with the long beard and the half-moon spectacles that had claimed the viewers notice now. At first it seemed hard, but since this speech was a lot less dull, I could direct my mind away from the intriguing boy.
'Welcome graduators of Hogwarts, other students, parents, friends and family to this wonderful day in June. Today we will present all of these marvelous wizards with a diploma for their remarkable achievements! After today they will each follow their own path into their future. As headmaster I haven't been in direct contact with everyone of them, but I have monitored them and I hope I have been able to make their time at school pleasant, enjoyable and instructive. I wish all of you the best in your future and especially hope that these dark times will pass over soon,' he exclaimed to the crowd. I knew exactly what he meant with "dark times", but I didn't like hearing it and I could see by the sour expression on my mother's face, she didn't either. Though, I was pretty sure she disliked hearing it for different reasons. In her opinion the rise of the Dark Lord was a bless to the world, these weren't dark times at all. In my opinion the rise of the Dark Lord meant I had to join him and I had to pledge allegiance to someone who made me rethink everything I knew about good and bad. I swallowed and looked down at my shoes. My finger immediately clasped around my wrist and I wished for Dumbledore to break his moment of silence. 'I hope you will all consider what you want to fight for and hope you will choose for the ones you love and the morals you stand for. I wish you all the best of luck, because I know everyone is able to do good.' Again, silence fell and I was pretty sure Dumbledore knew the effect of these silences. This time it took even longer for him to continue, but when he continued it was to end his speech. 'Before I am going to call forward those who have completed their education and have earned their diploma, I first want to call upon Remus Lupin, who has prepared a speech for us.'
I blinked. I knew Lupin was one of the top students, but I hadn't expected him being the one to speech. I looked at the boy who had a slightly nervous air around him as he stepped out of line and walked onto the stage. He was very tall — slightly taller than me, I knew that from experience. He had a slender body. Normally I liked boys with good bodies and a lot of muscle, but he was very charming in an unconditional kind of way. His hair was a light colour of brown a bit like sand mixed with honey and his eyes were a beautiful green. A bright, mossy colour that I still dreamt about. As he turned around to the public and gave them a nervous smile, my mouth felt dry. The way the sunlight hit his hair and reflected the light colors of brown and the way his sleeves were only slightly to short, took my breath away. I didn't understand how a boy I barely knew could influence me so much. I dreamy smile touched my lips. When he spoke I had to be careful not to lean forward too much and drool all over myself.
'Dear fellow students and teachers,' he spoke, his voice trembled slightly from nerves, but he seemed to be able to pull himself together after a few seconds and went on. 'When I came to this school — quite unexpected — I had expected it would be seven rather lonely years. How wrong I was. I was directly sorted into a house and got the pleasure to spent seven years with the best crowd of people I've ever known. It seems like only yesterday when I stepped onto the Hogwarts train, but suddenly we've all grown up… or sort off.' Laughter sounded and Lupin smiled. 'I am curious to see the paths we will all take, but I am mostly proud that all of you are here with me today. I will miss this school — and I think I speak for a lot of you — but this school has felt as a home for me.' A lump formed in my throat as I listened to the boy and my face fell. All of the sudden I realized that indeed I would be going to miss Hogwarts. It had indeed been a home to me and I had never really had a proper one. I looked down at my hands and swallowed. 'However, I am sure that — even though the future is scary — we will all find our paths and find a new home, create a new home. Maybe somewhere else, maybe with someone else or maybe after a few years we will return here… to pass our experiences on.' He smiled like he seemed to enjoy that idea. I was sure he would be great as a teacher. The image came easily to me. Lupin in his robes, standing in front of a class. 'But for now, I would like to wish you all the best of luck. I hope I will see you all soon and…,' while saying these words, he caught my eyes. 'Choose your own path, the one that makes you feel happy and not the one you are ought to follow.' His eyes flicked away from mine, but for a moment it had felt like he was speaking to me directly.