As the first years filed into the Great Hall, they all marvelled at the brilliance before them.

As they approached the front of the room, Elsie and Ginny grew nervous. Especially Elsie. She was counting on getting into Gryffindor more than anything in the world and her social anxiety was worse than ever at this point.

As they walked, Luna tried to calm them down with jokes and they seemed to work until they reached the front of the hall where the Sorting Hat was waiting for them.

The Sorting Hat looked like it was nothing of any value, it was old and worn. The hat was extremely dirty, patched and frayed. There was tear along the brim which opened like a mouth, allowing the hat to talk.

Professor McGonagall turned to them and said while motioning in front of her: "Will you wait along here please? Now, before we begin, Professor Dumbledore would like to say a few words." At this, Professor Dumbledore stood up and told everyone the school rules. Evie and Ginny already knew all of them, but of course, so they didn't pay much attention.

While he talked Elsie daydreamed about being put into Gryffindor, but she was soon snapped back into reality: "When I call your name you will come forth I shall place the Sorting Hat on your head and you will be sorted into your houses." Professor McGonagall said. She then pulled out a list of names and began to call them out. The list went alphabetically so Elsie and Ginny would be one of the last few to be sorted. As Professor McGonagall started working through the list, Elsie looked along the Gryffindor table until she found her brothers. They all saw her and gave her a small wave. She smiled at them and then turned her attention back to McGonagall. The next name to be called was Colin's and as he nervously walked up to the stool, Elsie, Ginny and Luna all wished him good luck. For a whole minute the room was in silence as the hat pondered where to place him. But soon enough the hat called out: "GRYFFINDOR!" to which the whole house screamed with joy. As he rushed to meet his new house Elsie hoped that she got the same result.

After a few minutes had passed, Luna's name was called. As she skipped up to the stool not a hint of worry showed on her face. Elsie and Ginny both wished her good luck as the Sorting Hat was placed on her head. Within thirty seconds the hat called out: "RAVENCLAW!" Her result shocked Elsie, and as Luna skipped down towards the Ravenclaw table, panic began to settle in Elsie's stomach. The wait for her name to be called was agony. As the list was done alphabetically she would be called up first because E is before G, even though Ginny's the eldest.

At long last Professor McGonagall called out Elsie's name. As she stumbled up to the stool, Ginny wished her good luck and her brothers smiled reassuringly at her. Once the hat was placed on her head it began to talk to her.

"Another Weasley! I know just what... wait a minute. You can't be a Weasley." With a huff of annoyance, Elsie informed the Sorting Hat that she was, she just didn't look like them.

"You're not just unlike them by your looks, but by your personality too. I can tell you're definitely not a Slytherin. You're not a Hufflepuff either. But you don't have what it takes to be a Gryffindor. As much as you don't want to admit it, you would thrive in Ravenclaw." Elsie was shell-shocked. Before she could ask the hat to put her in Gryffindor the hat shouted out Ravenclaw.

Instead of claps and screams the hall was eerily silent. No Weasley has ever been sorted into any other house but Gryffindor. As she walked to the table she felt her cheeks burn scarlet with shame. Her brothers wouldn't look at her and her sister was staring at her with sadness in her eyes.

Once she arrived at the table everyone snapped out of their trance and the Ravenclaw's began to cheer. Elsie sat next to Luna and introduced herself to her new house. Naturally, the Sorting Hat was taking a long time with Ginny. Everyone guessed what they were discussing but in the end the results weren't surprising. "GRYFFINDOR!" the hat shouted as she ran to join her house. Elsie noticed that tears pricked Ginny's eyes as she watched her twin sit down. That was torture for Elsie. She wished more than anything that she could be sitting there with her.

Once the sorting had finished, Dumbledore told them that the feast had now begun. Elsie watched in amazement as the plates in front of her filled with an array of foods and the goblets filled with pumpkin juice. Elsie tucked in to her dinner and talked to everyone around her. Surprisingly, she felt like she belonged and soon forgot all about her problems and not being sorted into Gryffindor.

Once the feast had finished the prefects led the first years to their dorms. Elsie followed the prefects for Ravenclaw, Penelope Clearwater and Robert Hilliard to their common room up in Ravenclaw Tower. The entrance to the common room is found on the west side of Hogwarts, at the top of a long, winding spiral staircase on the fifth floor. When, at last, they had reached the entrance, Elsie noticed that a door with a knocker was what guarded the Ravenclaw common room.

The door was decorated in the house's colours of blue and bronze and the knocker was shaped like the houses' symbol; the eagle. It was so different to what she knew of Gryffindor. Gryffindor's common room and dorms were protected by a portrait and you had to speak a password to get in. Elsie sighed when she thought about Gryffindor but she had to put it out of her mind and get settled in her new home, Ravenclaw.

Penelope explained that you had to solve a riddle to be allowed into the common room. She knocked on the knocker and it asked her the question: "Which came first, the phoenix, or the flame?" Penelope thought for a minute, but couldn't answer. She turned around and asked the first years if they knew the answer, but it seemed that no one did. Apart from Elsie. For once Elsie's knowledge could come in handy; she had always been a very logical thinker. Elsie stepped forward and addressed the knocker. "I think the answer is that a circle has no beginning." The knocker replied: "Well reasoned" and then swung upon the door to reveal the most amazing common room ever.

As the first years piled in everyone took a good look around them. "The Ravenclaw common room is one of the airiest rooms at Hogwarts" Penelope informed the students. Elsie marvelled at the wide, circular room with its midnight-blue carpet; gracefully arched windows and domed ceiling painted with stars. At the windows which were hung with blue and bronze silk and the room furnished with oak tables, chairs and bookcases. "During the daytime we get the best view of the school grounds. This includes: The Black Lake, Forbidden Forest, Quidditch pitch, the Herbology gardens and the surrounding mountains" Robert enlightened the children before him. Luna pointed out an effigy next to the door that led up to the dormitories. The statue was of Rowena Ravenclaw, Ravenclaw's founder, and was made of white marble.

Once the first years had all had a good look around Robert grabbed their attention once more. "Thank you to... I'm sorry your name is?" he asked staring straight at Elsie. "Elsie Weasley" she replied almost stuttering over the words. "Let's give a massive thanks to Elsie Weasley for getting us in!" Everyone started clapping and in that one moment Elsie had never felt like she belonged anywhere more, than right there; in Ravenclaw. As she was shown to her dormitory by Penelope, she didn't once think about Gryffindor, of her family or even about Ginny. She focused on her own happiness and she felt at home.

Author's Note: 

So after a really long time I have finally updated 'The Odd Weasley Out'! Thanks for your patience my Sassy Pixies! I've really been lacking in motivation to write recently as well as having lots of school work to do and maintaining a personal life. But this new year I'm trying to manage my life better and I'm going to try to do more writing. I also have my motivation back too. So look forward to more updates both for this Harry Potter fanfiction and my other works! Thanks again my Sassy Pixies XxXx