Accio Paintbrush

Dawn had barely touched the London skyline when Harry slipped into the Leaky Cauldron. He'd chosen his appearance carefully: secondhand clothes (but not too ragged), a cap covering his scar, and a different pair of wire-rimmed glasses he'd sketched into existence the previous day – just different enough from his usual round ones to change his face's character. In his Inventory lay several gold bars, carefully created over the past weeks, two per day.

The early morning Diagon Alley was peaceful, with only a few early risers setting up their shops. Gringotts loomed ahead, its bronze doors gleaming in the sunrise. Inside, Harry approached a free goblin with careful confidence.

"I'd like to discuss establishing a business account," he said quietly. "And I have some matters regarding investments to discuss."

The goblin examined him with shrewd eyes. "Follow me."

In a private office, Harry met Gornuk, an account manager. Over the next hour, they discussed the conversion of his gold bars into galleons – a process Harry insisted on doing gradually to avoid attention. But it was his business proposal that really caught the goblin's interest.

"You see," Harry explained, "there's a significant gap in the Hogwarts market. Quills and parchment are traditional, but inefficient. I propose introducing high-quality Muggle writing implements – pens, notebooks, paper – at reasonable prices. The profit margins would be substantial."

Gornuk's eyes narrowed. "Continue."

Harry pulled out a detailed business plan. "Muggle supplies can be bought in bulk at minimal cost. A package of ten ballpoint pens costs less than a single quill, yet could be sold for twice the price of a quill due to their convenience and durability. The same applies to notebooks and paper."

He'd done his research. The previous day's trip to a Muggle office supply store had confirmed his cost estimates. Even with shipping and handling, the margins would be excellent.

"Additionally," Harry continued, "I'm interested in investment opportunities. Particularly in Quidditch supplies and equipment manufacturing. The sport seems to have a dedicated following, and quality equipment is always in demand."

Gornuk reviewed Harry's projections. "Your business structure would need to be properly established. There are regulations about Muggle artifacts..."

"These aren't enchanted items," Harry pointed out. "Just ordinary Muggle stationery. No different from the regular clothes many wizards already buy from Muggle shops."

They spent the next hour setting up a proper business account under the name "Phoenix Supplies." Harry's gold, converted to galleons, provided substantial starting capital. Gornuk also introduced him to investment opportunities in various wizarding businesses, including Quality Quidditch Supplies and Nimbus Racing Broom Company.

"Their new model, the Nimbus 2000, is set for release this summer," Gornuk mentioned. "Early investors are projected to see significant returns."

Harry diversified his investments carefully. Quidditch supplies, yes, but also shares in more mundane businesses like apothecaries and bookshops. His previous life as a gallery owner had taught him the value of spreading risk.

With his banking arranged, Harry moved to the next phase. He purchased a multi-compartment trunk for inventory storage and visited several shops to understand current pricing structures. At Scribbulus Writing Implements, he noted their quill prices – his pen sets would need to be positioned carefully, expensive enough to seem quality but cheap enough to be attractive to students.

In his previous life, Elias had understood market positioning. These weren't just pens and papers he would be selling – it was convenience, efficiency, reliability. Every student who'd ever had a quill break during an essay would be a potential customer.

By midday, Harry had established the groundwork for his ventures. Phoenix Supplies would start operations on the Hogwarts Express – what better time to introduce students to alternatives to quills and parchment? He'd already planned his pitch: "Tired of ink stains? Want to write twice as fast with half the mess?"

His Inventory contained sample products and pricing lists, while his new trunk held initial stock. He'd also arranged with Gornuk for regular statements about his investments and a secure way to manage his business via owl post.

The beauty of his plan lay in its simplicity. No complex magic, no suspicious innovations – just basic supplies that happened to work better than traditional alternatives. And while his classmates struggled with leaking quills and crumbling parchment, he'd be building a customer base that could last his entire time at Hogwarts.

As he prepared to leave Diagon Alley, Harry smiled. Let Dumbledore watch for signs of dark magic. Let his teachers expect either a hero or a celebrity. No one would be watching for something as mundane as a young entrepreneur selling Muggle stationery.

Sometimes the best place to hide was in plain sight.