Looking at the last page.

[cubfanbudwoman]

No: HPFGUIDX 163402

Jeremiah:
> Just to stroll down the path of past chapter titles... (and 
> hopefully prove a point)...
> 
> When book 6 came out there was a lot of talk about a chapter called
> "Spinner's End." Everyone had an opinion about the nature of 
> Spinner... it's End... The End... The Spinner... I think I'd read 
> things about it possibly being Molly Weasly's death because she 
> knits and possibly spins wool into yarn... Others were sure it had 
> something to do with spiders and maybe Harid's giant spider friend 
> died... Some people thought that it was Snape and he was going to 
> die. Well, it all took place at Snape's house but he did not die. 
> Wrong again! It was the name of Snape's town. 

SSSusan:
This is true.  But keep in mind that this was a chapter title JKR 
let us know about IN ADVANCE. In other words, she chose this as one 
of the ones to let out early on purpose, I suspect because she knew 
that people would both 1) have fun with it, and 2) never be able to 
figure it out. :)


Jeremiah: 
> So, If there is a "hunch" that the title to the last chapter 
> is "the man who died" we have to recognize that it is just a 
> hunch. No facts as of yet. Also, Which man? Harry will be a man... 
> Tom Riddle is a man and was transformed... but is still a man... 
> Ron is a man... Snape is a man, Mr. Weasley is a man, Neville will 
> be a man... <snip> So, a title to a chapter will not give away the 
> ending. JKR is too savvy for that, IMO.

SSSusan:
Well, yes and no.  I mean, you're correct that such a chapter title 
could be any man... but the idea of "The Man Who Died" juxtaposed to 
the first book's "The Boy Who Lived" would, I think, understandably 
make us suspect Harry.

Also, I think the danger (if one doesn't want spoilers) in looking 
at the last chapter's title is that I think later chapter titles are 
more likely to give things away.  I mean, come on, look at HBP's 
last two chapter titles -- "The PHOENIX Lament" followed by "The 
WHITE Tomb"?  Who, from those who looked at that before beginning to 
read, didn't at least have a suspicion that those rumors about DD's 
death in Book 6 were going to come true?

JKR is certainly savvy enough to avoid give-aways *if* she wants 
to.  But she may simply prefer to create meaningful chapter titles, 
and if they happen to give something away, so be it.  Read the TOC 
at one's own peril, then.


Siriusly Snapey Susan,
who detests spoilers and who learned her lesson with HBP about 
reading the TOC before beginning!