Move over, traditional zodiac animals – there's a new good-luck icon in town! 🎉 Harry Potter's Draco Malfoy has been unofficially crowned the mascot for this year's Chinese New Year celebrations, thanks to a viral linguistic twist that's got everyone saying 'Ma-er-fu' (马尔福) with a smile.
Chinese netizens spotted pure magic in the character's name: 马 (horse) aligns with 2026's Year of the Horse, while 福 (fortune) mirrors the upside-down blessings plastered on doors nationwide. 🧧 Now, cheeky merch featuring Malfoy riding a horse (complete with spin-to-win fortune characters) is trending faster than a Golden Snitch!
This cultural crossover shows how Gen Z is rewriting traditions – one meme-ready moment at a time. As one Weibo user joked: 'Who needs Patronus charms when you've got 福?' 🪄
