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It all depends on your definition of what a classic is. My definition of classic is something that withstands the test of time. Are people still reading it in 20, 30, 50, 100 years. I don't think it has a thing to do with what English lit teachers are pushing. Sherlock Holmes is a classic because it's still being read over 100 years later. Will Harry Potter be a classic? It has a chance. Certainly it's still being read 20 years later, so unlike most books, it has some staying power. But we really aren't going to have a good idea if it's going to be a classic until it's 50 years old. If people are still reading it, then it's likely going to be a classic.
I currently reading Swiss Family Robinson, first published in 1812 and like dates before that. It's still quite an enjoyable read, at least it is for me. It's definitely a classic. On the flip side, there are books that people call classics that few would read if they didn't have to.
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