Mending What's Broken - A Wizards of Waverly Place Fanfiction…

A/N - So here is chapter four! This is an early update. Wow, this chapter just came to me. So I thought I would publish it. Anyway, so something I thought would be excellent for Max to add to the story a little romance; I thought after his last girlfriend in season 4, Max deserved someone better. So I'm introducing her in this chapter; she will be in future chapters. Yes, she is in Wiztech, but I figured she could be 15 turnings 16 while Max is 17 turning 18. Only a three-year difference, I wanted to explain that before I got questions thrown at me. Anyway, to not give much more away I'll hush up now; thanks for all the views! I do appreciate people who are reading this; it's the reason I keep updating. Thanks!

Disclaimer: I do not own Wizards of Waverly Place; if I did, Max would've been the main character. (I love all the characters and Alex, but I felt like Max was done dirty in the show, hence the reason for this story, and he's my favorite!)

Magia Ultra Mente Somina - Magic Beyond Wildest Dreams

Chapter 4

Wiztech had never changed, which was one thing Max loved about the wizard school. Even with professor crumbs retiring and Justin taking over, it was still the same as Max remembered from when they were younger. Justin had to decide to keep it the same in honor of Professor Crumbs, and it was a nice thing for the older Russo sibling to do. However, one thing that remained the same was its confusing staircases and long hallways. Finding Justin would be more complicated than he remembered; this was his first time being here after the family wizard competition. He was the one who had lost in the first place and was technically a mortal, but that was what got him here in the first place. Deciding to take a break, Max sat down with a sigh.

A few minutes had passed when a wizard student approached Max, and he looked up to see a younger female in front of him. She was only a few inches shorter than, maybe, Alex's height, with shoulder-length brown hair and beautiful green eyes. Wait?...beautiful?... Looking around to see no one else in the area, Max sighed as he eyed this young wizard student, he wished she would leave already, but at the same time, something inside him wanted her to stay.

"Are you okay? I'm sorry….I just happened to notice you on my way to class, and you looked lost." The female student explained as she smiled softly at him.

Sighing, Max says, "Not going to lie, but I kind of am. This school has always been kind of a maze and mazes confused, which would make sense; I could never get the pony to the finish line on the menus at restaurants…."

There was his specialty, Randomness. It was something Max Russo found himself good at, and usually, he only used it when he didn't want random strangers talking to him or questioning him. After a sentence like that, they usually walk away. Yet, this young female wizard stayed; she did eye him in confusion for a moment, trying to wrap her mind around his statement.

But what surprised him the most was when she giggled. "I was never good at those either. The poor pony never got the hay." The two shared a laugh for a moment, and Max was surprised; they seemed to be clicking, and it felt nice. Max hasn't felt this connection since his ex-girlfriend Talia. Shifting his position, the young female spoke. "Anyway, do you need help? Otherwise, I have to get to class."

Max nodded, "Actually could you help me? I'm looking for the headmaster's office, and I need to speak to Justin…."

She eyes him for a moment. "You mean Professor Russo? Sure, I can help…." She smiled for a moment before extending her hand. "I'm Whitney…Whitney Lane."

Max smiles and shakes her hand. "Nice to meet you, Whitney; I'm Max Russo."

His name made her stop in her footsteps and turn around to look at him as if star-struck. Something about her movements told Max she hadn't recognized him, which he wouldn't have been surprised about; he was always a more in-the-background type of guy.

She smiles at him. "I thought I recognized you, but I wasn't sure! This is so cool! Another Russo in our school." Whitney stated in excitement. But then realization hit her. "No offense, but how are you here? Aren't you the one who lost the wizard competition?"

"Um…yeah….I don't really like to talk about the competition. My sister Alex sent me when I told her I needed to talk to Justin."

She seemed to have bought the slight lie, for she smiled and nodded. "Makes sense; once a wizard, always a wizard, even without powers. You still know about the wizarding world, which is why I think it's dumb only one wizard gets to keep their powers, but can I tell you something?" Whitney asked as Max nodded, they leaned close, and she giggled as she said. "I always thought you were the superior Russo; you should've won the wizard competition."

They pulled away, and Max blushed, "Really? Thanks…"

Whitney giggled at this and grabbed his hand, and she said, "You're welcome! Now come on, you'll be a good excuse for Professor Russo to write me a note for being late to class!"

Max laughed a little and rolled his eyes as Whitney dragged him through a few hallways before going up a flight of steps and reaching the headmaster's office. Once at the door, Max jumped when a mouth came on the door, and it spoke to them.

"Headmaster's office, what can I do for you?"

"We need to see Professor Russo; it's an emergency."

Looking at Whitney in surprise at her reason, he grinned; he liked her a lot, but this was what he missed the most was magic. But the mouth vanished, and soon the door unlocked; Whitney opened the door and peered around the corner; Max watched in amazement. Standing on the other, he could hear Justin's voice, and he sighed in relief, hoping his brother could help him.

"Whitney? How can I help you?"

"Someone is here to see you, Professor Russo…."

Justin nods at his desk, "Alright, come on in, both of you."

Justin watches as the door is opened more, and Whitney comes in with his little brother Max behind her. At first, Justin wasn't going to lie when he said he was surprised to see Max, but then, the newer professor was kind of happy to see his brother, he had started to miss home, and this was a pleasant surprise visit. But looking at his younger brother, Justin frowned. Max never visited him; if he was here, something must be happening either with him or at home. Suddenly Justin felt concerned for his brother as he wrote an excuse note for Whitney being late to class.

"Thanks for helping me, Whitney. Will I see you again?" Max questioned as he watched the younger student leave.

Whitney grins as she gives him a slip of paper and says, "I don't know; maybe, that depends if you use the number I just gave you. Good luck, Max."

With that, Max blushes and cheers to himself; Justin watches the exchange, and once Whitney leaves the office, he frowns and says, "Not that it isn't good to see you, Max, but can I ask why are you here? I am swamped and - "

"- Because I need your help! With something horrible, Justin….I made a big mistake…."

There is silence for a moment, and Justin nods; Max says. "If I tell you, you have to promise you won't go to dad or Alex. Both would kill me." Max finished with a look of fear on his face at the thought.

"Your starting to scare me, Max," Justin admitted; it was true, he was scared for his little brother, and whatever happened between him, their sister, and their father, he was sure they could fix it. Was it another fight about the competition? Substation? About Max's future? Whatever it was, Justin was sure the three could've worked it out, but if it wasn't that…then why was Max here and asking him not to tell anyone in their family.

"You didn't murder someone, did you, Max?"

For once, Max looked at Justin in confusion and thought he was trying to pull Randomness on him. But then he saw the serious look on his brother's face, and he gasped in surprise at the question. "What!? No! Justin, I would never do that; that's illegal!"

Justin nodded, "Just making sure. Now, what is it? What's going on, Max?"

Max frowns and tells Justin how dad and Alex have been watching Pandora's box with her amulet inside. Justin admitted he already knew that he had been at the meeting and had been the one to suggest his father and Alex. After being surprised at that news, Max sighed, finished telling Justin how he found the box and decided to take it from the lair.

"But why would you do that?" Justin wondered as he raised an eyebrow at his brother.

At this point, Max confessed everything. The young wizard-turned-mortal confessed that having no wizard powers had been eating him alive inside, feeling useless without them and like he was misplaced and lost. Max told Justin about how he decided to try and find a way for him to get his powers back permanently so he could be a full wizard like him and Alex. He explained how he had been looking in wizarding books and researching late into the night. Max added how it all led up to him finding Pandora's box with the amulet, and last but not least, the young mortal told Justin about how the amulet gave him wizarding powers again and how it had embedded itself into his chest, and Max could no longer get it off. Finally, he told Justin what their father had explained to him, tying the whole story together, and when he was done talking, he sat down in a chair and sighed in relief; it was nice to tell someone and get it off his chest. Now Max was just worried about how Justin would react as silence came between the brothers.

"Max, you idiot! Why would you use something magical if you didn't know what it did!?" Justin questions, feeling frustrated at his younger brother. Once again, one of his siblings messed up, and now he was involved and would have to help fix this.

"I just told you why Justin! It gave me wizard powers again, and I wanted that!" Max stated as he sighed in annoyance; he didn't want to repeat himself.

Sighing, Justin says, "I understand that, but this is a huge issue; that would be why you're looking paler than usual. I thought maybe you were sick. I can help, but we must go to dad and Alex." Justin finished, bluntly ignoring his younger brother's request not to.

Max frowns. "What!? No! He's going to kill me!"

Justin frowns, "Well if we don't, that amulet and pandora are going to kill you first." Justin explains as he shakes his head. "I understand you're scared to tell dad and Alex, but they deserve to know, and they would be upset at first, but they would be more concerned about helping you. I hope. Come on, and we need to move on this fast…."

Watching his older brother panic, Max frowns as Justin grabs his hand. Pulling his wand out, he flashes them to the substation. Once inside, they find Alex at the cash register and his parents closing up the shop. All three only stopped when they saw the two flash in; everyone turned and grinned, seeing Justin; they hadn't seen him since after the wizard competition.

"Justin!" Justin and Max were suddenly pulled into an awkward family group hug, and their family didn't know how to hug. Once they were done, Justin greeted everyone calmly. Max kept quiet to himself, his nerves building inside, so much for asking his older brother not to tell anyone in their family. After the excitement calmed down, the seriousness came again.

"Even though it's good to see, why are you here? And with Max?"

At this, Justin frowned and got serious, "Because, dad, we have a situation. Your youngest screwed up majorly…."

Jerry looks at Max in confusion at his oldest son's statement. "Justin, what do you mean? Max, what did you do!?"

Everyone eyed Max, and suddenly the guilt overcame him as he stared at his family's worried and disappointed looks. Even his mother, who was mortal, was concerned, but it would make sense; he was the baby of the family. Alex was confused, but his father's look scared him the most. With a deep breath, Max knew it was time to come clean; thanks to Justin, there was no going back; he made a mental note to get back at Justin for this later. After cleaning his throat, he looked into each member's eyes and frowned.

"Dad…I lied to you earlier….I took Pandora's box from the lair…."

All Max could do was brace himself for their reactions.