Summary: Harry, Ginny, Ron, Hermione, Severus, Horace, Albus, and Minerva are locked in the Founders' Nursery by four ghosts. Who knows what they'll learn!

Locked In

Chapter 1: It Starts

Voldemort had been dead for five years now. Harry was still getting praises for it. His own wedding to one Ginny Weasley had been in all the papers.

Currently the couple had come to speak with Dumbledore about the opened positions in teaching. Harry and Ginny both were interested in the Charms and Muggle Studies jobs. The two had of course gotten the jobs and were now re-acclimating their selves to the castle.

Unfortunately they had stumbled upon an old corridor and gotten turned around and lost. A strange glowing blue light under a slightly adjacent door caught their eyes and when they entered the room they were shocked.

It was decorated with flying dragons painted on the bricks. Books and toys galore were inside with multicolored plush chairs and beanbags. There was also a round table in front of a large chalk board. Then there was a small table with art supplies.

"Weird," Harry commented as the door slammed shut and they heard the lock click.

Harry and Ginny ran to the door using every spell they knew but it wouldn't open. Harry even tried the knife Sirius had left him but to no avail.

"Great so what do we do?" Harry sighed.

"Where are we in the first place anyway? It's like some nursery or something," Ginny stated.

"Oh you are a clever little one. We shall have fun with you!" a high voice laughed lightly. It sounded like a child's.

"Oh yes we will. Welcome! Welcome Gryffindors you are in the Founders' Nursery," a little boy's voice called.

"Founders' Nursery?" Harry questioned as they came to the middle of the room looking around.

"Yes. We four are two sets of twins. Two born to lovers. Also two born to lovers. We are children created by affairs and hidden from the world. We now spend our time getting those special students to really get to know their professors," another little girl's voice laughed.

"The rules to our game are simple. You stay here till we are through with you. Now…two is no fun we need a crowd so tell us two names to bring to you," another boy's laugh stated.

"We're not playing this. Let us go!" Harry called.

"No sorry it's not going to happen," one of the girls laughed.

"Harry it doesn't seem like they're going to hurt us…how about we just play?" Ginny suggested.

"Fine," Harry sighed running his hand through his hair, "Who do we pick?"

"Hermione and Ron?" Ginny suggested.

"All right. Hermione and Ron Weasley," Harry called loudly.

"Oooh Weasleys are always fun to play with. Wish granted!" the first voice stated as there was a loud clap and flash of light. Hermione and Ron stood looking very dazed at their two friends.

"Harry? Ginny? Where are we?" Hermione asked.

"Some where in Hogwarts held hostage by spirits," Harry shrugged.

"Now that's mean," one of the boy's voices replied.

"Let's introduce ourselves before we continue the game. I am Artemis," the first girl voice replied.

"I'm her brother Hermes," the second boy stated.

"I am Apollo," said the first boy.

"And I would be his sister Aphrodite," the other girl stated.

"Now that we have that away let us have some more fun. You four are all Gryffindors correct?" Hermes asked.

"Yes," Hermione stated.

"Then spin the wheel of professors and let's see what luck gives you!" Apollo laughed as a large wheel appeared on the nearest wall. The wheel was multicolored with all the current professors' pictures there. Even Ginny and Harry's pictures were there.

"So you got the jobs?" Hermione grinned.

"Yeah," Harry smiled.

"OH and you can't choose yourself by the way," Aphrodite added.

"Are we really going to do this?" Ron asked.

"We don't have a choice. We've tried everything to get the door open and it won't budge," Harry sighed.

"All right I'll go first then," Hermione stated. She stepped up to the wheel and gave it hard jerk.

Around and around the wheel spun stopping on an emerald color with a stern looking witch's face.

"You have chosen Minerva McGonagall!" Artemis stated. There was a loud noise and a green flash as Minerva stood by Hermione looking dazed.

"What? What am I doing here I…oh Merlin not again!" Minerva groaned.

"Yes again dear Minnie! So lovely to see you again," Artemis grinned.

"You've been in here before?" Ginny asked.

"Aye," Minerva sighed, "I got locked in here when I was a student. I suggest you continue choosing because there really is no way to get away from these poltergeists."

"OH that's an ugly word. Were just 'free' spirits," Aphrodite stated.

"All right I'll go," Harry nodded. He spun the wheel and in a flash Dumbledore stood by Hermione.

"Please tell me I'm not in here," Albus groaned.

"I could but it would be a lie," Minerva quipped.

Ron spun next and his face paled as there was a flash of light and there stood Severus Snape.

"What the bloody hell!?" Severus hissed.

"Ginny spin quickly before we answer that," Albus replied. Ginny spun and the in a flash was Horace Slughorn.

"Thank you all for choosing. More speculations will be given after dear Dumbles tells everyone what's going on," Artemis stated as the wheel disappeared.

"All right Albus what is it?" Horace asked.

"This is the nursery in which four children spent their entire lives. As some of you may know the founders were very good friends but all were married to other people. Well the four children are the direct result of two Hogwarts Love Affairs; Rowena Ravenclaw and Godric Gryffindor as well as Helga Hufflepuff and Salazar Slytherin. The children died in the Chamber of Secrets. Salazar's basilisk having killed them. That is the story not told. That is the real reason Salazar left Hogwarts. Now the spirits of those four children haunt this corridor in the eighth floor of the school. No one comes this way but every few years they kidnap a few students and have them get to intimately know about the professors' lives," Albus exclaimed.

"So we can't leave until we know your back stories?" Ron asked.

"That's the gist of it," Albus nodded.

"I was in here as a student. Time seems to stop in this room. I calculated we were here for a month…outside of the school my classmates, the professors, and I were absent for two hours," Minerva added.

"Well at least we won't miss much," Horace stated clapping his hands and sitting in one of the soft chairs.

Everyone spread out around the room looking at each other oddly.

"All right toys time to play! We ask the big questions. The student questions are asked afterward as they usually want details. Now let's begin," Aphrodite stated.

"No lying…not that you could," Apollo chuckled.

"First question…Is your spouse or significant other still alive?" Artemis asked.

"Yes," Albus nodded.

"I'm not married," Horace stated.

"She is," Severus grudgingly answered.

"Very," Minerva answered.