(Hours later; near the end of the school day)
"Uncle?" came a young man's voice. "Uncle, may I come in?..." not waiting for a reply, the man entered Severus's office, with an uncertain smile on his face.
"Gilderoy, what is it now?"
"Uncle Sev---"
"Do not call me that, boy!"
"S-sorry... Professor... well, I was just wondering, since it is the Eve of Chri--"
"ARRRRRGHHH!"
"... well, tomorrow is a certain winter holiday , and frankly sir, I was---well we were hoping, that you could come for Chr--- for... er... dinner on the twenty-fifth. It would mean so much to Carrie and me..."
"You want me to dine with you and that foolhardy wife of yours? Gilderoy, you have got to be kidding me."
"No, sir! And, if it pleases you, I would like you to see my newest award... a pure bronze statue of myself--- right in the front yard! Town hero, that would be me... and do you know what I did to get this award of highest honour? Well..." Severus set down his stack of Potions' papers on his desk with a thump, and stared down at his nephew with the look of a starving dog glaring down a piece of meat.
"Now look here, nephew... just because you are my only living blood relative, does not mean that we are to socialize ,as old friends would do over tea!"
"Oh, but certainly, no one can resist smiling during the holidays, and surely the holidays wouldn't be complete without seeing..." he flashed his string of pearly-whites... "this smiling face!"
"Actually, my boy," began Severus slowly, a false smile pasted on his face, "you were right! I would miss you way too much..." he got up, slapped an arm around his nephews' shoulder, leading him across the room, "And Christmas (he shuddered as he said the word) is a time for families. You can count on me being there!"
"Oh, uncle! Really? You mean it!?" With his false smile still in tact, Severus shoved him out the door.
"No!"
And with that, he slammed it shut, returned to his wooden desk, gathered up his papers, decided to grade them at home, strode over to the area where two single candles lit the room and gave it minor warmth, blew them out effortlessly, and congratulating himself on his personal victory over his now-sure-to-be-devastated-nephew, glided out of the office and shut the door, turning the lock and bound back home.