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The Elves in the Passageway
Emerging from her bedroom, Elaine stared openmouthed. It was as though every speck of dust had been banished. The rugs looked brighter, the copper wall sconces looked shinier, and all evidence that anyone had ever had the audacity to even breathe in this house seemed to have been washed away. The fresh scent of citrus lingered in the air.
"Severus?"
A dark head appeared from a door further down the hall. "Yes?"
Elaine made a helpless little motion with her hands.
"Oh— the cleaners came yesterday while we were out. Impressive, isn't it? I like to call them my 'little elves'."
Copper, #38