Yvaine Stars was what one would call a closet beauty. She was a beautiful girl but she didn't put much effort in her appearance. This made her unpopular with guys unless they needed help with homework. Excluding brushing her teeth, showering, deodorant, and other daily hygiene necessities Yvaine didn't spend more than ten minutes getting ready in the morning. She would just tie her frizzy blond hair into a ponytail, put on her ill-fitting uniform, and walk through the Gryffindor common room and to her classes.

James never cared about his cousin's lack of appeal. It actually saved him trouble. Yvaine was more like James' little sister than his cousin and if she was drop dead gorgeous he'd be beating the guys off with a stick. Things had changed over the years though. As they got older Yvaine was always getting teased by the more popular girls. Yvaine would stick up for herself and her friends were there for her but the comments still bothered Yvaine. James would try to figure out how to help his cousin but he would get wrapped up in thoughts about Yvaine's best friend Lily Evans. It was no secret that James fancied Lily. It was also no secret that Lily wanted nothing to do with James. He would spend a ridiculous amount of time trying to figure out how to win Lily over.

In the middle of a game of exploding snap James was intensely pondering how to get on Lily Evans' good side. He was sitting on the couch with his chin rested on his hand as he thought.

Sirius, who was currently winning, was sitting in a plain wooden chair across from James and tilting the chair back as he grinned casually.

Peter was sitting on the couch next to James and trying to sneak a peek at James' cards.

Remus was sitting on the floor on the side of the coffee table and was calmly contemplating his next move.

"Give it up Prongs you're not going to win," Sirius taunted.

"I just don't get it. What does she see in Snivellus?" James didn't even register Sirius' taunt.

Remus sighed as he put down a card and picked up another, "Maybe if you tried talking to her-"

"I try that every day."

"Without talking about yourself." Remus finished his sentence.

"That's not as easy as it sounds," James muttered as he sulked a bit.

"Oh come on how hard can it be? Your cousin his Evans' best friend. Just start talking to…Stars…" Sirius didn't even get to finish his sentence before James leapt out of his seat and sprinted up the stairs.

"Guys…we have two minutes 'till Divinations…" Peter spoke up.

Yvaine sat at the head of her bed as she wrote her Ancient Ruins paper. Her gray and white tabby was curled up at the foot of her bed. Yvaine was so deep in her paper that when some fool started pounding on the door to the girls dorm room she jumped and almost fell off of her bed. Her tabby, Rocket, bolted off of the bed and hid behind Yvaine's trunk.

"Who the…" Yvaine didn't need to finish her sentence.

"Yvaine! I know you're in there!" James exclaimed as he pounded on the door, "Open up! I gotta' talk to you! Yvaine! Yvaine!"

"Shut up! Shut up! I'm coming!" Yvaine yanked the door open and glared at her cousin with dark blue eyes.

"I have a proposal."

"If it's for me I should point out we aren't part of the muggle royal family," Yvaine deadpanned.

"…Huh?"

"Nothing just a muggle studies joke. What do you want?"

"I couldn't help but notice you've been dealing with a popularity problem. You have a lot of bad popularity and no good popularity."

"Cut to the chase captain obvious."

"I help you with your popularity issue you help me win Lily over."

"James I'm her best friend not a miracle worker." Yvaine began to slam the door shut but James stopped it with his foot.

"Potter what the hell?" Yvaine exclaimed when she yanked the door back open, "You blubbering idiot what were you thinking?"

"I was thinking the door doesn't look that heavy…I was wrong…" James was desperately trying to hold in the pain he was feeling from his poor abused foot.

Yvaine sighed and shook her head. She did need help. She was getting sick of the names and fights but she couldn't promise she could get Lily to like James.

"I can only promise that I'll try. Lily is her own person and the final decision will be hers."

"That's all I'm asking." Yvaine had never seen James so serious about anything before.

"Then I'll help you."

"Yes!" James hugged Yvaine, "Common room this weekend at eleven."

James ran off before Yvaine could reply.

"I hope I'm not going to regret this."