Harry Potter fans, relax. The Vatican says the kid is all right.
The question of whether J.K. Rowling's books and the films on the boy wizard have a positive influence came up at a news conference yesterday, as the Vatican presented a document on "New Age" spirituality, which contains elements of the occult.
"I don't think that any of us grew up without the imaginary world of fairies, magicians, angels and witches," said Father Peter Fleetwood, a Vatican official who worked on the document.
"They are not bad or a banner for anti-Christian ideology.
"They help children understand the difference between good and evil," he said in response to a reporter's question.
The fifth book in the boy-magician series, "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix," is sure to be an instant best seller after its June publication date.