Who: Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger What: Unpleasant News Where: Their flat When: Thursday Morning Rating: ? as per usual but YAY OMG RHI HAS INTERNET.
It had been a while since Ron had worked a standard overnight shift, as opposed to say, an emergency overnight shift that generally turned into a three days with no sleep shift. He'd sat in the office with other Aurors, having completed all the necessary paperwork, and played various games to keep themselves entertained. After recent events, no one dared to complain about being bored.
Of course, Ron would have preferred that they'd been assigned a task that involved doing something, such as finding Death Eaters and killing them, but the Ministry was still dragging its feet when it came to being proactive.
So he spent the uneventful night playing chess (and winning each game until his fellow Aurors decided chess time was over) and then moving onto other games, until people started arriving for the normal work day. There was a couple hours of overlap on the shift, so Ron was present when the Department Head announced Seth Capper was missing.
No one had thought much of it. They all had vacation days and sick time. And Capper had seemed a bit under the weather lately. So much so that he had been grumbling less than usual. And when their boss sent a couple of Aurors to check up on him, most thought he was overreacting. Until the news came back that Capper was dead, and his place had been destroyed.
Groups were sent out to investigate and Ron prepared to join them, but those who had worked the night shift were sent home, given strict orders to keep this quiet.
"They got a DMLE employee," it was explained. "We're keeping it under wraps until we know more."
Sighing, Ron left the Ministry, took the opportunity to check up on Lia's rabbit once more before she returned later that day, and then apparated back to his flat. Hermione was already awake, and he was late.
Greeting her with a tense nod, he said, "They got Seth Capper. Boss figures they've started to target the DMLE."