First-Rate Chapter Endings

[cindysphynx]

No: HPFGUIDX 35823

I was listening to PoA *again*, and something kind of occurred to 
me.    

JKR writes great chapter endings, IMO.  I don't know what a creative 
writing expert would say.  But for me, great chapter endings are 
those that make it impossible to put the book down and go to 
sleep.   Chapter endings that give the reader just enough 
information to keep things interesting and raise lots of thorny 
story questions.  Chapter endings that end in exactly the right 
place.

I think the very best HP chapter ending might be the conclusion 
of "Cat, Rat and Dog" in PoA in the Shrieking Shack scene. After a 
struggle with Black, Lupin bursts in and takes control.  Wands are 
flying.  Lupin spins a big mystery with dots moving all over the 
Map.  Then Lupin gets a look at Scabbers:

"What's my rat got to do with anything?"
"That's not a rat," croaked Sirius Black suddenly.
"What d'you mean -- of course he's a rat --"
"No, he's not," said Lupin quietly.  "He's a wizard."
"An Animagus," said Black, "by the name of Peter Pettigrew."

Now, how can anyone stop reading after suddenly learning that 
Peter's alive, that Peter is a rat, that Peter has been hiding in 
Ron's pocket for three books, that Black isn't evil, that Lupin 
isn't evil, that Lupin is a werewolf, and that Black and Lupin are 
friends, all in just 5 pages?  

Cindy (who thought there were some great chapter endings in GoF, but 
isn't so sure about PS/SS and CoS)