On their way back Spike carried Riley with ease. The boy had taken a knock to the head and one vampire had tried to bite him, when the teeth marks were an indication. But otherwise he was unhurt.
„Why did they want to take this young man especially?“ asked Remus.
Severus who supported the weak Tara while trying to keep his hands still looked surprised.
„He feels different to me but I can’t say what he could be.“
„Riley and Xander are the only ones purely human in our group. As you know Oz is a werewolf, Spike a Vampire, Tara a nature witch and I am a wizard. So Xander and Riley should feel similar.“ Giles said a bit confused.
„Yes, but Remus is right. He really feels different. Human but somehow not...“ Lucius told them.
„Maybe it is from the experiments the initiative did on him?“ Xander asked.
„Hm... that is also a possibility. But then we would have known earlier.“ one of his children was again in danger. Giles felt himself grow older.
„Could it be that till a few weeks ago he was always with Buffy on Patrol, so the Vamps only sensed her instead of Riley?“ Oz felt this was important.
„That could really be. The Slayers enemies would concentarte on her first. But because she always beats them they didn’t have a chance with concentrating on him.“ Albus concluded.
„I advice we go back to the others and check the boy just to make sure.“ Severus was more and more supporting Tara. She weakened further and suddenly collapsed in his arms.
Giles saw the gleam in his friends eyes and just knew that he was taken with Tara. Maybe he could help her heal and the other way around. Giles knew that his friend was always alone and he really needed someone to protect and love.
„Severus, could you carry Tara? She is very exhausted.“
„Sure, Rupert.“ With that he looked down at Tara and touched her face tenderly.
Lucius knew that his friend could be like that. But the others were shocked that Severus Snape would show so much emotion around strangers. The Slytherins and Gryphindores had come to a truce after Sirius was almost killed by Bellatrix. He was now often frightened and had nightmares, so he got help from the potions master. Because he was still hiding from the ministery he lived with Severus in the dungeons.
„We will have to charge her up when we are back.“ Albus told Severus, his eyes twinkling madly.
„Albus, I am warning you. Leave her alone!“ She would never love him. He was just a greasy git.
„We will see, Severus. We will see.“