Submitted for The Houses Competition Forum - Round 6
House: Gryffindor
Subject: Transfiguration
Category: Standard
Prompt: 3. [Emotion] Weariness; 4. [First Line] It all started on a Friday in March.
Word count: 1,603
Warnings: Royalty!AU, Muggle!AU
Many thanks to my wonderful betas Ash (Ash Julliet), Becca (The Majestic Dolphin) and Drish (gingerdream). Your comments made my day!
A nobbled noble
It all started on a Friday in March. Prince Theodore didn't understand what had prompted him to barge into his father's study. When he came back to his senses, he was standing in front of his father, out of breath and looking like he had never seen his father before.
"Theodore? Is there a fire in the palace or an angry mob trying to overthrow the monarchy?" Magnus, King of Norway asked, trying to understand what prompted his heir to act so out of character.
"There is no fire nor an angry mob, but I do need some time to myself," Theo said all at once, not making any sense. "I'm feeling suffocated, and I need some space."
Theodore was the only heir to the throne, and one of the most admired princes in Norway history, but none of this mattered to him. He felt trapped. Theo felt like he was molded to be the perfect prince and follow his father's steps, but no matter what he did, he knew he was living a life that wasn't really his.
He was next in line to become king, but that didn't mean that he was ready for it.
Magnus put the newspaper he was reading on the table and looked at his son. "I don't think I understand what you're saying, son. What do you mean you need space?"
"Exactly what it sounds like, Father. I need some time away from the palace and everything," Theo said, throwing himself into a chair in front of his father's desk, ungracefully for a prince. "I'm going crazy here!"
"What do you think about visiting your cousins? I bet Draco would love to have you in Sweden." Magnus tried to bargain while he attempted to understand what Theo wanted. "Your aunt will love to parade you around."
"That's it! That's why I don't want to go to Sweden and why I need time to myself: I don't want to be paraded around. Don't you understand, Father?" Theo took a deep breath, trying to calm his rapidly beating heart.
"You do remember that you are a prince and that you're going to be paraded around for the rest of your life, right?" Magnus asked, to which Theo just rolled his eyes. "What's really going on, Theo?"
Theo took a deep breath, trying to gather his thoughts before he spoke again. The fact was that he was feeling restless, everything felt like it was too much for him to handle.
"I want to be normal for just a moment before I have to assume the role of king. Everything will become too complicated then." Theo sighed, knowing that his father wasn't going to agree with what he was going to ask, but he needed to try anyway. "I would be very happy if I could spend a weekend away — no bodyguards, no press conferences, no Prince Theodore, just me, being Theo."
"You know that I can't agree to that, Theo, no matter how much I wish I could," Magnus said, looking older than Theo ever seen him. "I think there isn't much I can do to help you."
With just that sentence, Theo knew he was dismissed without the necessary words.
"So, what did your father say?" Duke Blaise Zabini — one of Theo's best friends — asked over a video call later that day.. Blaise was one of the few that knew about Theo's wish to be free. "Where are we going this weekend?"
"I don't know where you're going, but I need to stay here and find a way to not die of boredom," Theo said, entering his study, thinking about all the work that he could do since he wasn't going anywhere. He could see Blaise's frowning at him, but this didn't change how he felt.
"Wait, what do you mean? He didn't approve of us going out and wreaking havoc? Not that we would wreak havoc," Blaise said, making Theo groan. "C'mon, you know we were just planning to go clubbing and being anonymous for a while."
"Blaise, you're one of my best friends, but I'm not in the mood. Besides, my father didn't even know that you were going to go with me when I asked to have a 'normal' outing." Theo threw himself on the window seat, looking outside at the square in front of the palace, seeing all the tourists roaming around without a care in the world. He envied them.
"You told Drake about what your father said? Maybe he could make him change his mind," Blaise said, trying to cheer Theo up, but it wasn't working.
"I doubt it, but it's fine. I already knew what he was going to say, and I don't think anything's going to change his mind," Theo said, still looking at the tourists and people he was going to reign over someday. "Thanks for trying anyway."
"Don't sound so defeated, Theodore. That's not a very royal thing to do." Blaise chuckled, making a small smile appear on Theo's face. "Don't worry your pretty royal head, and let Blaise work this out."
Theo should have been worried about what Blaise had said, but seeing how he was still upset over having his request denied, Theo didn't think a lot about it. In hindsight, he realised that may have been a mistake. Mistakes tended to happen when Blaise referred to "working things out" in the third-person.
Theo was roused from his sleep when he felt hands grabbing him, taking him away from his bed, and suddenly, a bag was put over his head. He could still hear what was happening around him, but since he couldn't see anything, he was a little terrified, although he thought he recognised Blaise's voice. He was rousen up and thrown in a car, and feeling the movement of the car made him go back to sleep.
"What's happening?" Theo said. He blinked rapidly, trying to adjust to the lights after having the bag removed from his head and looking around the room that he was. It was a luxurious room and looked a lot like one of the hotel rooms that he and his family stayed in while they were visiting Venice.
"Good morning sleeping beauty! How are you this morning?" Blaise sang. Theo just glared at him. "Don't look at me like that — you know we did this for your own good."
"Blaise, you kidnapped a member of the Norwegian royal family." Theo refrained himself from yelling, but he was toeing the line.
"Kidnap implies that I took you away without permission, but I actually had permission from both your parents and your bodyguards, so I think this was more... an unscheduled borrowing!" Blaise smiled at Theo, who looked confused.
"If you have permission, then why the hell did you bind me up and throw me in your car?" Theo's patience was running thin, making him almost yell the last part. Blaise just shrugged.
"For the fun of it, of course. Drake said that you'd find it funny sometime in the future." Blaise beamed at him. "He and Luna are going to meet us in an hour, so go take a shower."
"I'll do it as soon as you release me of these ropes!" Theo finally yelled. Blaise obliged, untying the ropes and bowing to Theo.
"As you wish, Your Highness," Blaise mocked Theo, who only gave him the finger while walking towards the bathroom in the bedroom. "Such a sweet monarch. The people will love you."
"Shut up, Blaise!" Theo yelled from the bathroom, hearing the laughter of his friend, and he couldn't help but smile back, shaking his head. His friends were weirdos, but he was glad to have them, no matter what.
Theo was glad to have his friends with him, especially Luna, since she was the only one who could put all the boys in their places, not even needing to threaten them, just batting her eyes at them.
"I would be worried that Luna has us all wrapped around her little finger, but she's been like this ever since she was born." Prince Draco of Sweden was wearing a hoodie and a beanie over his famous blond hair, trying to be anonymous, but his haughty way wasn't fooling anyone.
"You're just jealous, aren't you?" Princess Luna smiled adorably at Draco, who just glared at her. "Besides, I think that Blaise's idea was a good one, and Mother agrees with me."
"Thank you, Luna, I'm glad that someone else sees the silver lining." Blaise winked at Luna, who covered her mouth with her hand and giggled.
"Please, stop flirting with my sister. It's disgusting!" Draco said, swatting Blaise. "It is just gross." Theo was glad to have them with him now. Even if he didn't know what sort of King he was going to be, he was glad to have them by his side.
"All right, stop fighting. In order to go and have a look outside this room we need to act like normal people. Otherwise, I can't see what Venice has to offer us today," Theo said, putting the disguise that Blaise had picked out for him. It looked like something that came straight out of a lazy spy movie, but he wasn't going to complain about it now. Blaise would give Theo hell if he complained about Blaise's clothing choices. So, he put the cap, hoodie and sunglasses, turning himself into an unknown person — invisible, just like he wanted.
He didn't know it just yet, but this day would be the start of a whole new chapter in Theo's life.