Rose had never seen a man so large. Rose had never seen a man so hairy and she had definitely never seen a man so happy as the giant gamekeeper that was standing in front of her. "A'right, kids!" he said in a cheerful rumble, his gray beard quivering with glee,"Firs' years over here! All the firs' years to the lantern!" He didn't even need to yell. The legend of Hagrid the gamekeeper and his crazy beasts had been passed down from parent to child, but never could they explain the sheer vastness of this man. It was not his size or weight that varied such presence, but his flamboyant manner that caused such surprise.
The nervous first years edged forward, scared of this towering figure, but curious to get a better look. Rose was within them, but she did not push through the crowd to look at Hagrid. No, Rose was set on finding the mysterious boy on the train. People don't just disappear, she knew that much, but he had vanished so completely she was beginning to think it had been a hallucination.
"Well!" the booming voice startled her, "If it isn' another Weasley!" Rose's face began to get hot as every forts year turned toward her. she had been counting on the brown of her hair to let her fly on the radar, but She was obviously mistaken. "I thought I migh' get tired o' you all, but I guess Ol' Hagrid'll hold up another year!"
Even with her cover blown, Rose couldn't help but smile at the old half giant. It was infectious. "I guess you will!" she replied, with more courage than she thought she had. Hagrid's smile was wider than Rose had though possible. "Alrigh'!" Hagrid thundered, "To the lake! TO THE SORTIN'!"
Rose laughed and followed the half giant down toward the glassy lake, sneaking looks behind her to try and see a boy who had to be there. He just had to. But looking back on the scared little face she realized he might not even be a first year. He could be anyone in an entire school full of wizards and witches. But he was somewhere in Hogwarts. and she was going to find him.