Families in China have found a very strange way to welcome good luck this year. Instead of traditional art, they are using the face of Draco Malfoy. The blonde Hogwarts bully, played by Tom Felton, has become the unofficial face of the 2026 Lunar New Year celebrations.
Social media is full of photos showing Malfoy’s signature smirk on front doors and fridges. It might seem odd to use a movie villain for luck, but it all comes down to a clever play on words.
The lucky name game
The reason for the Malfoy fever is hidden in how his name sounds in Mandarin. The name is written as “Ma-er-fu.” In Chinese, the first part, “Ma,” means horse. The last part, “Fu,” means fortune or blessing.
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Since 2026 is the Year of the Horse, putting Malfoy’s name on your door literally sounds like “Horse brings fortune.” It has turned the Slytherin student into a symbol of vitality and success for the coming year.
From Hogwarts to the high street
Shopkeepers are making the most of the trend. E-commerce sites like Taobao and Pinduoduo are packed with Malfoy-themed magnets, stickers, and posters. One shopping mall in Henan province even put up a massive electronic banner featuring the character to greet shoppers.
Fans are also sharing “Felix Felicis” comments online, a nod to the “liquid luck” potion from the Harry Potter films. One social media user joked that it is an “oriental new year with magical elements.”
Tom Felton spots the trend
The actor himself has noticed his new status as a lucky charm. Tom Felton, who recently starred in Harry Potter and the Cursed Child on Broadway, shared a post about the craze on his Instagram.
The Harry Potter series has always been massive in China, with around 200 million books sold there since 2000. With a huge new studio tour set to open in Shanghai in 2027, the “Malfoy luck” looks set to last well beyond the holiday.
