Harry Potter’s Draco Malfoy becomes mascot for year of the horse in China

Mandarin transliteration of character's name regarded as auspicious, prompting wave of memes and fan art

Draco Malfoy, one of Harry Potter's most recognisable villains, has become an unlikely lunar new year icon across China, as fans embrace the character for the year of the horse.

In Mandarin, Malfoy's name is transliterated as m r fu". The first character means horse" while the final character, fu", means fortune" or blessing" - a powerful symbol found across lunar new year celebrations.