Chapter II: Ellisana the Troublemaker

Ellisana woke up to bright warmth of mister golden sun beaming in from Professor Grabiner's bedroom window. She blinked a few times. She found herself in Professor Grabiner's bed. She was very close to him and they were still holding hands tightly. She suddenly remembered that she never went back to her dorm room last night and turned a bit red at the thought.

Professor Grabiner's hand still tightly held onto Ellisana's hand. He looked to be in a deep sleep as Ellisana slipped her hand away from his. She sat up and looked closely at the sleeping Professor Grabiner. He looked so peaceful and kind when he was asleep. This was quite the opposite of how he usually was. A bit cute, but that peace and quiet would not last long.

Ellisana put her hand on his head and patted it gently. She remembered how he spoke last night. He was probably remembering how he lost his dead girlfriend Violet when he was younger. He did not like to talk about his painful memories from the past. She did not blame him because she also did not like to talk about her painful memories from her past.

She could greatly relate to Grabiner when she heard the story from Professor Potsdam. She personally experienced the loss of both of her parents in a fire. At the same time, she also discovered she had magical powers when she was thirteen. Her magical powers saved her from the house fire, but her parents were not so fortunate. It was best to keep the past buried. It was a long time ago. It was time to live in the present for both Ellisana and Grabiner.

She slowly got up and sneakily escaped out of Grabiner's chambers being as quiet as a mouse. She hoped none of her classmates noticed she spent the night in his chambers. Professor Potsdam probably would be overjoyed. She constantly nagged her about the status of her current relationship with Grabiner. She gently put her hand on her head and pat down her long blue hair. She hoped she looked presentable for class.

Then she realized something. The class she was going to today was…HIS Red Magic class. She went back to her dorm to get ready for class. Inside her dorm room, her two roommates were awake to face her and glared at her questionably.

Ellen looked puzzled, "Where were you last night Ellisana?"

Ellisana chuckled nervously and made up something quickly on the spot, "Oh silly me! I fell asleep in the library reading a book last night!"

Virginia shook her head in disapproval, "Being Professor Grabiner's wife must be terrible. You are always in the library studying. You should take a break!"

Ellen chimed in, "He seems terrible. What a terrible fate you are faced with roomie!"

Ellisana looked down and quickly grabbed her schoolbooks for today, "Well…" She giggled feeling a bit uneasy, "I LIKE STUDYING!"

Virginia and Ellen just looked at Ellisana blankly and did not say a word. Then Ellen calmly said, "Well whatever floats your boat Ellisana. Personally I think sleeping in the dorms is way more comfortable. Bring your books back here next time."

Ellisana slipped out of her dorm room after getting odd reactions from her roommates. Of course they could not understand. She walked down the hall and walked into her Red Magic class. Something was odd about today.

Professor Grabiner was not in the classroom yet. All of the students were already in too. He was always early. This was odd to Ellisana. Maybe she was supposed to wake him up? Then suddenly she heard loud footsteps as Professor Grabiner walked in without his hat on and just his clothing on without his cape over his shoulder. For a moment the chattering and gossiping of the students stopped and they just stared. It looks like he forgot his hat and just rolled out of bed. That was embarrassing. Of course only Ellisana knew that.

Professor Grabiner picked up chalk and wrote in big letters, "STUDY SESSION TODAY for Sophomore Student Exams!" A loud groan could be heard from most of the students. Ellisana who was in the back of the room smiled a bit looking over at Professor Grabiner. His sloppy bedhead and lack of his hat and cape made him look silly and a little sloppy this morning. In a way, it was a bit cute.

Then suddenly Professor Grabiner caught Ellisana looking at him and shouted towards the back of the class, "Ellisana Grabiner, start studying and do not waste time. I will throw you out of my classroom if you are not focused. I would hate to give you…your first demerit!"

Ellisana slipped down into her chair and looked down at her book in defeat.

A student next to her who often sat in the back because he hated being picked on by Professor Grabiner chuckled, "Hahahahahaha he now even refers to you as Ellisana 'Grabiner'. That is just so funny."

Ellisana glared at the student, "Quiet. I need to focus before he throws me out."

Professor Grabiner started to drill students on questions and went down rows. He never once looked at or called on Ellisana. Ellisana secretly wished that the Hieronymous Grabiner she fell asleep with last night was here instead. He was much more cuddly and harmless in her daydreaming schoolgirl mind when he was sleeping. If only she could cast a spell on him right now that made him sleepy.

Suddenly she could hear gentle footsteps from outside the classroom. Professor Potsdam stood in the doorway and cheerfully looked at Professor Grabiner, "Good Morning starshines! Professor Grabiner, I wish to take Ellisana out of class for a moment to talk about something important!"

Professor Grabiner replied, "She may, but she must hurry back quickly. Professor Potsdam this is a very important day for our students. They need to prepare for their exams."

Ellisana rose up out of her seat and Professor Potsdam walked her down the hall into the staff room for some privacy. She smiled, "So…I just found out that Hieronymous did not divorce you! I think he is starting to open up to you. Congratulations Ellisana! Or should I say Mrs. Grabiner!"

Ellisana blinked. How did Professor Potsdam know this information? She replied in confusion, "How do you know this?"

Professor Potsdam answered bubbly, "Last night you did not return to your dorm room. You stayed in his chambers! I know about everything that goes on in this school dear. You just do not realize it!"

Ellisana lowered her head, "We did not do anything." She knew where she was going with this. She loved to give speeches every once in a while in her class about the bees and the birds. Or was it the birds and the bees? Who cares about the order!

Professor Potsdam nodded, "I know this! Please remember that I am always available if you have any questions! Enjoy your study session!" She patted her on the head, "Smile!"

Ellisana turned around and walked out of the staff room. Great, just what she needed. Or what she did not need. Professor Potsdam was prying into their business again. She probably was being bribed by Grabiner's father to get us to stay together for real.

Ellisana went back to the classroom. By the time she sat down, Grabiner asked a question quickly and his eyes shot to Ellisana's eyes and he spoke to her, "I will call on Ellisana for the answer."

Ellisana blanked out for a second. She slipped out an incorrect answer because her mind was filled with so many other things. Grabiner looked quite upset and disappointed, "Mrs. Grabiner, detention and five demerits! Leave the classroom right now. It seems you are not going to be serious about studying today!"

Ellisana's eyes widened. Her husband…gave her demerits? Ellisana never got a demerit before in school. She picked up her books and shyly slipped out of the classroom. She could hear a few people chuckle on the way out. They found it rather amusing that Professor Grabiner gave his wife five demerits and a detention. It was all that meddling Professor Potsdam's fault for distracting her and making her think about other things!

The only place that Ellisana could think of as a safe haven right now was not even the library. There were probably students there studying and they might bother her. So..she wandered off into Grabiner's private chambers. She sat on his desk and let out a sigh "Well I guess I will explain my entering without permission later. It is partially his fault I decided to hide from the world today anyways."

She began to study material from her textbooks and comparing it to the well organized notes she took on lectures. Hopefully this would help her prepare for the next dungeon. Time went on and the light from the outside of Grabiner's window was getting darker. She studied for quite a while with many books out and notes spread out. Then suddenly her head fell down on the table and the closed her eyes. She drifted off into sleep.

Moments later Grabiner walked down the hall and opened the door to his room. He saw Ellisana asleep on his desk with her notes and textbooks littered on his table. He closed his door and felt somewhat sorry for Ellisana. Was he too hard on her today? He was afraid she would distract herself from working because of the events of yesterday. He only wished for her to continue to get the high marks she has gotten in the past. He always made stupid mistakes like this he thought, but somehow the girl continued to cling to him despite the mistakes or misunderstandings they got into. It was quite hard protecting Ellisana. A Wildseed seventeen year old witch was quite hard to keep tabs on. Being married to one makes life even more complicated. So troublesome, thought Grabiner. Was he insane to decide to continue such a marriage?

He took his cape off the empty chair near Ellisana. He put his cape over the sleeping body of Ellisana. He sat in an empty chair nearby and cracked open a book. From time to time he would look over at Ellisana wondering if she would wake up soon. He groaned a bit. What would he do with this foolish girl. He did not want to take her back to the dorms because he would have to carry her and the students would start to gossip about her again. He knew how upset she would get about the rumors that went around.

Meanwhile in Ellisana's dorm room, her roommates were quite confused. It was the second night their roommate did not return to the dorms. Was she really sleeping in the library? Ellen looked over at Virginia who just returned from the library, "Did you see Ella?"

Virginia shrugged, "No sign of Ella since she was kicked out of Grabby's class."

Ellen's eyes widened, "Could she be with Grabby? Oh my…"

Virginia relaxed on her bed and started to close her eyes, "I doubt it Ellen. He seemed pretty mad at her for not being focused. At the very least, she could be locked in a dungeon subjected to studying spells. But yeah...if you want to know, just ask her when she comes back."

Ellen turned off the lights off in the dorm room and sighed, "This is the second night though, but I guess you are right. Good Night."

They both went to sleep for the night.

It was getting quite late and Ellisana showed no signs of waking up. Grabiner took his hat off and put it on his desk and shut his book. He let out a light sigh and crawled into bed, "How troublesome."