His hands shook. He couldn't believe what he had done in the name of security, out of protection. He was safe but in pain. Max knew Sirenna and William had gone to Feldcroft, but he couldn't. He couldn't face her. Max used an unforgivable curse on someone. How could he face June without any guilt?
He couldn't even be near his wand. It felt illegal to even look at it. The thing he used to harm someone. He didn't even know who they were and couldn't remember if he had ever seen them walk the halls before; then again, it was a prominent place. It's just some 5th year Hufflepuff. The fact they were Hufflepuff made it even harder to face June.

Max was paralysed in his place. He was stuck, staring at the door. He sat there at the end of his bed. The wand was under his pillow. He hid it well enough there that even if he looked back, he couldn't tell something was under it. His morning had haunted him. He thought it might for the rest of his life.
He could hear those screams every time he closed his eyes. And he didn't even want to do it, so the curse wasn't powerful, yet the 5th cowered and wailed.

Someone walked into the room. Max didn't look up, but he did speak. "What have I done?" He knew who was there cause it was always him, always Percy. Three more people shared that room with those two, but he always knew when it was Percy. "Something I never expected," Percy said. He stood at the door. He didn't want to get too close. Percy wasn't scared of him. This is the type of stuff he grew up around, but he understood that Max was better than that. He has some slight anger issues due to his stubbornness and temperament, but he wouldn't harm anyone for any reason. And yes, there was a reason for it: safety, but then irony. Percy protected himself by pretending to side with his dad, and Max wasn't happy about that. But when Max does it. Percy wanted to laugh.

Max looked up at him now, staring up at the man he used to love. Percy looked right at him. He had no expression. Percy figured that was the best look he could give Max right now.
The both of them stayed there. There was nothing to do or say. Just standing.
Until, of course, Max spoke up again. "I'm disgusting." He looked back down at his hands. "You're not. You're surviving. Same as me." Max got up, finally being able to move from his paralysis. "No, please. If there is one thing I want, it's to not be associated with you."
"I haven't done anything, I'm acting for fucks sake."
"For our own benefit."
"Why did you do it? Why did you use the curse? Was that not for your own benefit?"
"Are you telling me you've never used an unforgivable curse?" His voice raised. Seemed to be the new norm for them; Max would raise his voice, and Percy would listen. It was never like that before. "No, I haven't." Percy actually felt offended by the question, and Max was hurt by the answer. Max, after Percy leaving, saw him as a monster, and now he saw himself as one much more destructive. "But I did?"
"Yeah, you did." Percy nodded as he spoke. Max looked down as he now stood before him. Percy wanted to reach out and comfort him. He didn't; if he did, Max would swat him away. "It's okay, you just need to control your breath and-" Percy started to talk but had to stop.
"Don't try to tell me what I should and shouldn't do. You. You fucking twat." He began to cry as he finished his words. Shaking. He dropped down, and Percy caught him by his arms and held him up. Slowly bragging Max to his bed. It always surprised Max quite how strong Percy could be, even in moments like these.

Percy got Max to the bed. He sat beside him, but only to stabilise Max. He worried that if he let go, Max would fall. Max just cried. "It's okay. I can't promise you will feel better, especially talking to me. But it will be okay, they understand. I talked to them after. They are a Pure-blood. In fact, they thought what you did was cool. They just wished they weren't at the other end of it. They are a purist." There was bitterness in his voice. As much as he pretended to side with his parents, Percy would always hate them, all of the purists. Just look at what their effect was on his love life. It hurt Percy to talk to Max every time, all because he remember every single moment he spent with Max as if it was all happening at the same time. And he knew nothing would ever be the same. Max had Charlie now. "They are?" Max's tears slowed down once Percy's words settled in.
"Yeah." Percy got up. He thought it was his time to leave. Though, Percy couldn't tell if he wanted to go for Max's or his own sake.

Max looked up as Percy left. He wasn't going to stop him. He didn't want to. The harsh thing about the two of them is that Max moved on, but Percy didn't. And he probably never would.

Max was once again left alone with his thoughts. What Percy had said to him did, in fact, make him feel better. But it still hurt. He hurt someone just for his own security, and that's something he'll never truly forgive himself for. The room was quiet, and he figured he should talk to Sirenna and or William. Whoever he could find first.

And so that's what he went off to do.
It was easy to find Sirenna; she was always somewhere and usually in a group. She hated isolation too much to ever be alone.