Little Pips, the house elf, crept along the staff table with his head down. He was trying his very VERY hardest to clean the cups and spoons and plates and things without attracting the ire of the staff members, but it was unavoidable that he would be noticed. How could one ignore the occasional head-bashing or the dropping of an empty chair on his long elf-foot?

He mumbled to himself. "Pips is being sorry. Pips is punishing himself. No professors is having to eat off dirty things anymore." The elf twitched his bat-like ears.