            "Was wondering about that," he muttered, glancing down at his wrist, where the golden thread looped down off the table to the hand in her own lap. Sirius reached out, snatching her wrist off her thigh and holding it up to inspect where the tether disappeared into the pale skin of her inner wrist. His fingers were like hot irons, burning into her flesh. "I remember this." He cocked his head as his thumb brushed over the heel of her palm. "The ritual still worked?"