This weekend the kids and I went to see the penultimate movie in the Harry Potter saga.

We are all big fans of the books. When Michael was young, he wanted to dress up like Harry Potter for Halloween — and some other days, too — long before the first movie ever came out. I went straight to our local costume shop, Rose’s Costume, where owner Judy Smith and her astute crew had already assembled Harry Potter costume kits from old graduation robes, round-framed glasses and brooms to go.

So, Michael, of course, had already seen Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1 twice, including a midnight opener, by the time all four of us were able to take it in over the holiday.

Sam had warned me that he thought he might not be able to sit through the most challenging scenes. This was a first. I didn’t understand it, until the movie was underway. Even I had to close my eyes during some of those torture and fight scenes. I felt badly that we didn’t sit somewhere to make it easier for him to escape, or to have Michael help prepare him.

Sam didn’t feel like he could stay put and just look down. I understand that — the movie theater experience is about going all in with the story. Still, he said he was ok, and he stuck with it the entire film, just in and out for two hours. He said he ought to be able to tolerate it once we have it at home on DVD.

What is it about the big screen that just pushes the story’s emotional core right to your own?

Oh, and by the way, if you saw it at Northpark, along with those balony anti-vaccination ads that I’ve heard were running then, please do all of us in the autism world a favor and complain. What is with these anti-vaccination people?