Keywords: Rebirth, Celebrity circle, Stunt doubles, Non-magic as in not Harry Potter magic
Content: Affluent family, entertainment circle
Remus Lupin didn't know if he is lucky and got given a second chance to live, or if God was having a laugh at him.
Otherwise, how could he be used by Sirius Black as a substitute for the same person, both in and out of the show, in both of his lives?
He didn't know who he feels most sorry for, one who can only be a substitute or one who can only find one. Can he really not change his fate?
In his previous life, Remus was the substitute of the famous movie star Lucius Malfoy, not only was he a martial arts stunt double, even in his relationship with Sirius Black, he was an all-in-out substitute. Disheartened, Remus Lupin followed a documentary film crew into the Shiru Mountain. Bad luck and misery seem to have followed him though, and with the slight misfortunate placement of his foot, he slipped off the side of a cliff.
It has been two years since then when he woke up again, to find himself reborn in someone else's body. What's even more tragic is that he still can't get rid of his fate as a substitute...
Remus Lupin tried to open his eyes. They were dry and the light coming through the window was harsh. He opened them just a crack. In his eyes, all you can see is a piece of cold white, so white it appeared lifeless. When the feeling in his body gradually returned, he smelled the familiar disinfectant smell, he knew he was in the hospital.
Shock, amazement, and bewilderment filled him.
He was still alive? Falling off a cliff that height and he was still alive?
It must be because he did a lot of good things in his previous life that even the god of the dead felt pity for him and threw him back into the mortal world. He chuckled at the stupid thought immediately after it came to his mind. But no matter what, being alive is a good thing. He must have gotten away with just a broken arm or leg, he tried moving, nothing happened… he can't feel it... he can't feel his hands or his legs. He broke out into a cold sweat. He is alive, but if he is paralyzed, is it not better to die?
"Remus? Remus? You're awake?" His ears suddenly came a middle-aged woman's voice, it was heavy with crying.
Remus tried to turn his neck. She was a thin, good-looking woman in her fifties. Although that was his name he didn't recognize her.
"Remus..." The woman started to cry again but this time from happiness, stumbled to the door, grabbed one of the nurses, and screamed excitedly, "My son is awake! My son is awake! Go get a doctor."
"Son? Who's your son?" Remus opened his mouth to speak, but his throat was burning like fire, dry and rusty. He tried again but couldn't make a sound.
Little by little, he could feel his limbs, he moved his toes, there they were, relief flooded him! After a while, a group of doctors and nurses rushed in and worked around him for a while, checking and making sure all was well. The nurses were in awe, "He really woke up. Two years in a coma and he managed to wake up. This is a miracle, a scientific miracle."
The woman wept and laughed, too excited to speak clearly.
A nurse poured him a glass of water and spooned him a little. A few mouthfuls later, she then took the water away, saying softly, "Don't worry. It might be disorientating now but a bit of rest will help you recover."
Remus asked, "I... what happened?" The voice was so hoarse it barely sounded human.
"Remus." The middle-aged woman rushed at him, touched his face, and cried, "Mum knew you would wake up, you finally woke up, I couldn't take it any longer if you didn't."
Remus looked at her in bewilderment. Did the woman really think he was her son? Remus searched through his memory, all intact, all the things he experienced in his thirty-three years are all still there. In fact, he almost wished they weren't, then the days leading up to his death would all disappear. The pain and betrayal wouldn't still be so fresh, all the tears and suffering he had gone through wouldn't still be nestled in the middle of his chest. He wanted to forget that person, wanted him to be out of his life. He was sure he hadn't forgotten though, this woman was a stranger. Even though her tears caused deep pain within him, even if they are burning, even if they were the tears that only a mother can shed.
"You... Are you... Miss, I don't know you." Remus managed to squeeze out over his still irritating throat.
The crying came to an abrupt stop, the woman looked at him in astonishment through her teary eyes, even the doctors and nurses were transfixed. After some time to gather this piece of information one of the doctors patted her on the shoulder, "Mrs. Lupin, Remus's brain has been injured, any situation may arise after he wakes up, if it's just a memory loss, then we are very lucky."
Hope wiped away her face and touched Remus's face shakily. "Remus, love, do you really not remember me? I'm your mum."
His name is Remus, even Lupin was correct but his mother has already died when he was eight years old. He often dreamed that he still had a mother, but...
"Mrs. Lupin, please restrain your emotions and don't give the patient too much pressure. How about you go out and have a rest while we do a further examination for him?"
The doctor glanced at the nurse standing beside him, the nurse then rested a reassuring hand on Mrs. Lupin's arm and said softly, "Miss, why don't we go out first. Let Remus have a few tests, then we can come back in." She led her out of the door.
Remus was wheeled out of the room for some x-rays and other tests. Dazed and sleepy, he turned around and saw his face reflected on the doctor's black computer screen.
What he saw, stopped him in his tracks.
On the dark computer screen, the face was not very clear, but enough to guess the vague facial features, Remus looked at the man's expression, who is this? That's not his face... This man... Who is it?
The doctor waved his hand in front of his face. "What's the matter?"
"Mirror."
"What?"
Remus suddenly shouted loudly, "Give me a mirror."
The echoing sound penetrated the previously quiet corridor, startling the people. The doctor thought for a moment, then handed him a mirror, "Your face is all right, relax, you're in safe hands."
Remus grabbed the mirror and stared into it. What was reflected back is a face of a young man in his mid-twenties, with startling amber eyes and slightly tousled blond hair. Although he looked pale and weak, you could see it was a pleasant-looking face.
But this isn't him!
No wonder that lady called him her son, she was right, what she didn't know however is that in her son's body lived an another spirit.
So he did die, or at least his body did, how could it not have been after being shattered by a fall that high? But his soul was reborn in someone else's body, in this young man, also named Remus Lupin.
The doctor looked at him strangely. 'What's wrong? Any discomfort?"
Remus threw the mirror aside and lay back limply on the bed, covering his eyes with the back of his hand then muttered, "Nothing."
He himself is still in shock. How is he supposed to explain to someone else?
Maybe because they share the same name, so whoever deals with this got it wrong?
He had always been an atheist. He didn't believe in those supposedly all-powerful beings. Ghosts, gods, witches, and wizards were all a figment of someone's over creative imaginations right? But now this has caused him to doubt himself, and for a moment he did not know what to do but be in shock.
The doctor said nicely, "You close your eyes and have a rest. You have been sleeping for two years now and have just woken up. The psychological burden will be very big. Don't hesitate if you need some help"
The doctor's soothing voice was like a hypnotic song, Remus closed his eyes, feeling exhaustion seep through his entire body, gradually falling back into sleep.
Maybe this was all a message. He's alive, he's a new man with a new identity. God's blessing for him to make a fresh start, to put his past behind him.
To put aside his failures, all the regrets he had, and start a new life
He would be a fool not to take it.
