I believe the article's title is an overstatement. Ratzinger, in effect, instructed her to contact an underlig to investigate her concerns, which he deemed valid.
Harry Potter is, to my mind, "PG." With proper parental guidance and discussion of the issues which it brings up, it can be morally harmless and simply another work of interesting literature. The "good magic" in Harry Potter is easily discernable from occultism by a mature teenager. However, the subject of the book does require a parent to discuss what wicca is, ad to draw that differentiation. It is good versus evil, but with a problemmatic definition of good (albeit a good definition of evil).
I find your reference to MacBeth a gross stretch. In Potter, the recourse to magic is good and in fact, necessary and heroic. In MacBeth, it is purely evil.
Also to contrast with Narnia and Lord of the Rings, two spiritually beneficial stories: In Narnia, the children are forbidden to do magic, except those magics which they are explicitly told to do by Aslan. The point is to obey Aslan's will, whereas in Harry Potter, lying and disobedience with regards to magicare morally necessary; the authorities are sometimes bumbling incompetents. Harry Potter displays extremely mature morality dangerously combined with the use of magic. In Narnia, on the other hand, magic could almost be seen as sacramental: that which is commanded by Aslan/Christ is salvific; that which is otherwise is evil.
The Lord of the Rings' main theme is the rejection of illicit power, represented by the rings, which wards one away from occultism.
Quite typical in the "school story" tradition, one that never became that popular in America (probably because boarding schools aren't that common for the middle class). Of American school stories, I recall only Billie Bradley and Betty Gordon (I never read boys' childrens' books), and even they're pretty old (IIRC, about 1910-1920); I'm not sure there are any current American school stories.
Also to contrast with Narnia and Lord of the Rings, two spiritually beneficial stories: In Narnia, the children are forbidden to do magic, except those magics which they are explicitly told to do by Aslan. The point is to obey Aslan's will, whereas in Harry Potter, lying and disobedience with regards to magicare morally necessary; the authorities are sometimes bumbling incompetents. Harry Potter displays extremely mature morality dangerously combined with the use of magic. In Narnia, on the other hand, magic could almost be seen as sacramental: that which is commanded by Aslan/Christ is salvific; that which is otherwise is evil.
The Lord of the Rings' main theme is the rejection of illicit power, represented by the rings, which wards one away from occultism.