#openml

[jcmarchi]

Croissant: a metadata format for ML-ready datasets

New Post has been published on https://thedigitalinsider.com/croissant-a-metadata-format-for-ml-ready-datasets/

Croissant: a metadata format for ML-ready datasets

Posted by Omar Benjelloun, Software Engineer, Google Research, and Peter Mattson, Software Engineer, Google Core ML and President, MLCommons Association

Machine learning (ML) practitioners looking to reuse existing datasets to train an ML model often spend a lot of time understanding the data, making sense of its organization, or figuring out what subset to use as features. So much time, in fact, that progress in the field of ML is hampered by a fundamental obstacle: the wide variety of data representations.

ML datasets cover a broad range of content types, from text and structured data to images, audio, and video. Even within datasets that cover the same types of content, every dataset has a unique ad hoc arrangement of files and data formats. This challenge reduces productivity throughout the entire ML development process, from finding the data to training the model. It also impedes development of badly needed tooling for working with datasets.

There are general purpose metadata formats for datasets such as schema.org and DCAT. However, these formats were designed for data discovery rather than for the specific needs of ML data, such as the ability to extract and combine data from structured and unstructured sources, to include metadata that would enable responsible use of the data, or to describe ML usage characteristics such as defining training, test and validation sets.

Today, we’re introducing Croissant, a new metadata format for ML-ready datasets. Croissant was developed collaboratively by a community from industry and academia, as part of the MLCommons effort. The Croissant format doesn’t change how the actual data is represented (e.g., image or text file formats) — it provides a standard way to describe and organize it. Croissant builds upon schema.org, the de facto standard for publishing structured data on the Web, which is already used by over 40M datasets. Croissant augments it with comprehensive layers for ML relevant metadata, data resources, data organization, and default ML semantics.

In addition, we are announcing support from major tools and repositories: Today, three widely used collections of ML datasets — Kaggle, Hugging Face, and OpenML — will begin supporting the Croissant format for the datasets they host; the Dataset Search tool lets users search for Croissant datasets across the Web; and popular ML frameworks, including TensorFlow, PyTorch, and JAX, can load Croissant datasets easily using the TensorFlow Datasets (TFDS) package.

Croissant

This 1.0 release of Croissant includes a complete specification of the format, a set of example datasets, an open source Python library to validate, consume and generate Croissant metadata, and an open source visual editor to load, inspect and create Croissant dataset descriptions in an intuitive way.

Supporting Responsible AI (RAI) was a key goal of the Croissant effort from the start. We are also releasing the first version of the Croissant RAI vocabulary extension, which augments Croissant with key properties needed to describe important RAI use cases such as data life cycle management, data labeling, participatory data, ML safety and fairness evaluation, explainability, and compliance.

Why a shared format for ML data?

The majority of ML work is actually data work. The training data is the “code” that determines the behavior of a model. Datasets can vary from a collection of text used to train a large language model (LLM) to a collection of driving scenarios (annotated videos) used to train a car’s collision avoidance system. However, the steps to develop an ML model typically follow the same iterative data-centric process: (1) find or collect data, (2) clean and refine the data, (3) train the model on the data, (4) test the model on more data, (5) discover the model does not work, (6) analyze the data to find out why, (7) repeat until a workable model is achieved. Many steps are made harder by the lack of a common format. This “data development burden” is especially heavy for resource-limited research and early-stage entrepreneurial efforts.

The goal of a format like Croissant is to make this entire process easier. For instance, the metadata can be leveraged by search engines and dataset repositories to make it easier to find the right dataset. The data resources and organization information make it easier to develop tools for cleaning, refining, and analyzing data. This information and the default ML semantics make it possible for ML frameworks to use the data to train and test models with a minimum of code. Together, these improvements substantially reduce the data development burden.

Additionally, dataset authors care about the discoverability and ease of use of their datasets. Adopting Croissant improves the value of their datasets, while only requiring a minimal effort, thanks to the available creation tools and support from ML data platforms.

What can Croissant do today?

The Croissant ecosystem: Users can Search for Croissant datasets, download them from major repositories, and easily load them into their favorite ML frameworks. They can create, inspect and modify Croissant metadata using the Croissant editor.

Today, users can find Croissant datasets at:

With a Croissant dataset, it is possible to:

To publish a Croissant dataset, users can:

Use the Croissant editor UI (github) to generate a large portion of Croissant metadata automatically by analyzing the data the user provides, and to fill important metadata fields such as RAI properties.

Publish the Croissant information as part of their dataset Web page to make it discoverable and reusable.

Publish their data in one of the repositories that support Croissant, such as Kaggle, HuggingFace and OpenML, and automatically generate Croissant metadata.

Future direction

We are excited about Croissant’s potential to help ML practitioners, but making this format truly useful requires the support of the community. We encourage dataset creators to consider providing Croissant metadata. We encourage platforms hosting datasets to provide Croissant files for download and embed Croissant metadata in dataset Web pages so that they can be made discoverable by dataset search engines. Tools that help users work with ML datasets, such as labeling or data analysis tools should also consider supporting Croissant datasets. Together, we can reduce the data development burden and enable a richer ecosystem of ML research and development.

We encourage the community to join us in contributing to the effort.

Acknowledgements

Croissant was developed by the Dataset Search, Kaggle and TensorFlow Datasets teams from Google, as part of an MLCommons community working group, which also includes contributors from these organizations: Bayer, cTuning Foundation, DANS-KNAW, Dotphoton, Harvard, Hugging Face, Kings College London, LIST, Meta, NASA, North Carolina State University, Open Data Institute, Open University of Catalonia, Sage Bionetworks, and TU Eindhoven.

[paraproject01]

Demystifying Machine Learning: A Beginner's Guide to Projects

Introduction: Machine Learning (ML) is an exciting field that has rapidly gained popularity in recent years. However, for beginners, diving into the world of ML projects can seem daunting. With countless algorithms, libraries, and techniques to choose from, where does one even begin? In this beginner's guide, we'll demystify machine learning projects and provide a roadmap for getting started.

Understanding Machine Learning:

Definition of Machine Learning

Types of Machine Learning: Supervised, Unsupervised, and Reinforcement Learning

Core Concepts: Training, Testing, and Evaluation

Setting Up Your Environment:

Choosing a Programming Language: Python vs. R

Installing Necessary Libraries: NumPy, Pandas, Scikit-learn, TensorFlow, etc.

Selecting an Integrated Development Environment (IDE): Jupyter Notebook, Spyder, PyCharm, etc.

Identifying a Project Idea:

Identifying Your Interests: Image Recognition, Natural Language Processing (NLP), Predictive Modeling, etc.

Exploring Datasets: Kaggle, UCI Machine Learning Repository, OpenML, etc.

Brainstorming Project Ideas: Sentiment Analysis, Spam Detection, Stock Price Prediction, etc.

Preprocessing Data:

Data Cleaning: Handling Missing Values, Outliers, and Duplicate Entries

Feature Engineering: Creating Relevant Features for Model Training

Data Transformation: Scaling, Normalization, Encoding Categorical Variables

Choosing the Right Algorithm:

Supervised Learning Algorithms: Linear Regression, Logistic Regression, Decision Trees, Random Forests, etc.

Unsupervised Learning Algorithms: K-Means Clustering, Principal Component Analysis (PCA), DBSCAN, etc.

Reinforcement Learning Algorithms: Q-Learning, Deep Q-Networks (DQN), etc.

Model Training and Evaluation:

Splitting Data into Training and Testing Sets

Training the Model

Evaluating Model Performance: Accuracy, Precision, Recall, F1-Score, ROC-AUC, etc.

Fine-Tuning and Optimization:

Hyperparameter Tuning: Grid Search, Random Search, Bayesian Optimization

Model Selection: Cross-Validation Techniques

Handling Overfitting and Underfitting

Deployment and Application:

Saving and Exporting Trained Models

Building User Interfaces or APIs for Model Deployment

Continuous Monitoring and Updating

Resources for Further Learning:

Online Courses and Tutorials

Books and Textbooks

Community Forums and Q&A Platforms

Conclusion: Embarking on a machine learning project as a beginner can be intimidating, but it's also incredibly rewarding. By following the steps outlined in this guide, you'll be equipped with the knowledge and tools necessary to tackle your first ML project with confidence. Remember, the key to success in machine learning is persistence, experimentation, and continuous learning. So, roll up your sleeves, dive in, and let the journey begin!

Visit Para Projects to get Machine Learning Budget Friendly Projects.

[pinertab]

Zs4 video editor sound quality

Zs4 video editor sound quality movie#

Zs4 video editor sound quality software#

Zs4 video editor sound quality Offline#

Zs4 video editor sound quality movie#

It can be used to get your favorite clips from your favorite movies so that you can make collections of these movie clips to watch in the future. Furthermore, you can easily clip down the DVD movie in a matter of seconds. The clips will be stored in VOB format only. Dvd Knifeĭvd Knife is a very simple and easy tool for extracting DVD clips from your DVD’s.

Zs4 video editor sound quality software#

This is free video editing software which offers the media experts with a platform to combine videos, photos and other media files 14. There is no video, audio degradation and out of sync problem arises after editing. The freeware AVI editor is easy to use and requires no encoding/decoding processes. AVI trimmerĪVI trimmer is a free video editor that works at a faster speed than others software, therefore reducing any damage to your video.

Zs4 video editor sound quality Offline#

It works as an offline playback, encoding, editing, animation as well as visual effects tool based on the jahshaka technology. It offers operators a real-time interactivity. This is a video and film compositing, editing and special fx system that uses OpenGL and an OpenML hardware rendering. Moviestorm is very useful for making cartoons, music, horror movies and crime. This software gives you a complete 3D movie making experience. If it’s your first time to use it, you might find it difficult as it does not have a friendly user interface. You can edit up to 256 videos, audios and still image clips. This is amazing software, one of the favorite to many video editors. Main features include modifier-based modeling tools, node-based material and powerful character animation tool. Blenderīlender is a free and open source 3D content creation that supports almost all major operating systems. It fully supports WMV, FLV and MPG files. Movica is more of a graphical user interface that utilizes excellent programs to edit movie files. It is well designed to edit your movies and videos with some fine programs. The best thing about this software is that it runs on nearly all operating system such as Linux, Mandriva, Debian, Ubuntu, Mac and Windows. The platform mainly supports mainly AVI, MP4, DVD compatible MPEG files and asf. This is a free open source video editor written in C++. It also has some ready-made material such as sample titles and audio effects. It also has a special tool to create and edit title screens. It works perfectly well for the average user who wants to create an easy video presentation, which includes video clips, sound effects, photos and background music. The key features of this software are adding text or audio overlays, 2D transitions, video effects, making photo slideshow and also deleting unwanted scenes. It has a nice and easy interface design to use. Video spin software is a well designed video editing tool for beginners and professionals. There are so many professionals who use this video editing software 3. Using this software, one can combine photos and videos and add some transitions and effects to the video. It is free video editing software for windows from Microsoft. Window Movie Maker is one of the popular software for video editing.

[spiritusvitaerp]

“lift with your knees atlas, the heavens are a burden”

NAME: Evan Rosier AGE: 18 HOUSE: Ravenclaw

BIOGRAPHY

Evan rosier shouldn’t exist, but that is a family secret they will all take to the grave. It wasn’t unusual for men to be unfaithful to their wives, especially in their circle due to so many betrothals. Marrying a stranger or for a reason other than love was the norm, it was tradition and the rosiers had been following tradition for centuries. At least, that is what they told the world.  But Aldan Rosier wanted an heir and the wife he loved so dearly was unable to give him that. The couple went to extraordinary lengths to conceive a child and when that failed they did the unthinkable, they paid for the services of another acceptable pureblood and thus finally welcomed a son into their home. It was only after they had fallen in love with their child that they discovered their surrogate had lied and their precious pure blood was now tainted. Aldan insisted his blood was good enough and the couple swore to keep the boys true status a secret, one they felt their livelihood and future rested upon.

As a kid he was eager to please his father, to emulate the man he hero worshipped. Even as a child he was polite, quiet and intelligent. Everyone loved how well behaved the little rosier boy was and often wished their own children were as contained. Evan wore it as a badge of pride, as did his father. And yet he suffered at the mans hands, convinced he had made some kind of mistake worth punishing and desperately striving to be perfect. And yet his home life was one of isolation and disappointment.

Evan ran around with most of the other pureblood society kids but he kept his views quiet. Though he believed the same his parents did, the same his friends did, he didn’t feel the need to shout it from the rooftops.  But deep inside he felt a corrosive kind of doubt, he had always sought answers and the ache in his gut demanded them. Why did they feel so superior, why was pureblood so important? Evan felt he was being eaten alive by this questioning, ones he dared not ask aloud. And then the dark lord was defeated and evan’s life opened wide like a flower in bloom. Could he now begin to remove the mantle he’d been shrouded in from birth? Could he denounce pureblood supremacy and not lose everything, his life included? He was keen to find out and entered his final year as head boy, with more questions in his head than ever before.

AESTHETIC

cardigans in shades of grey, marble statues,  a heart made of steel, white noise, thoughts in two languages, gauzy curtains, broken bottles of champagne, books strewn everywhere, quiet anger, unfinished games of chess, family secrets.

Positive traits

+ benevolent + conscientious

Negative Traits

- tempestuous - arrogant

Connections

1. Frank Longbottom  frank and evan have been the best of friends for as long as evan can remember, they gravitated toward one another early for their shared interests and personalities. they have been dorm mates all seven years at hogwarts and rely on one another. evan sees frank as the most important person in his life outside his parents and he would do anything for frank and often seeks out his advice before making a decision.

2. Alice Macmillan  alice is head girl alongside evan as head boy. though he was not close to her before their appointments he does trust her judgment and rely on her advice. however they often clash and butt heads over the interpretation of rules and what should be allowed.

3. Emilie Rosier after the ordeal and trauma the rosiers went through to have evan they were resigned to the fact they had gotten their child and heir but it had come with unforeseen and unwanted consequences. emilie is their miracle child, it took her mothers health to conceive and carry her. she is treated like a princess by Aldan and evan, though he has never understood why she is doted on and he is ignored he loves her dearly. she is very similar to him and they both feel the pressure of perfection. evan hopes their newly bright future means an escape for emilie and he’d sacrifice his own to give her one.

this character is OPEN for applications and their board can be found HERE.

[fbreschi]

OpenML: Machine Learning as a community

http://dlvr.it/RH2LCz

[omarkhanca]

machine learning > Connecting R to the OpenML project for Open Machine Learning | 2018-03-24T20:56:24.000Z

[raposthumus]

via Twitter https://twitter.com/RAPOSTHUMUS

[onechoicecantransformsyou-r-blog]

Caleb Prior | 16 | Erudite | FC: Landon Liboiron | Open

Caleb Prior

Age: 16

Born: Abnegation

Faction: Erudite

Gender: Male

Height: 5'9

Hair: Dark Brown

Eyes: Green

About- For years on end, Caleb displayed himself as a true Abnegation, selfless and kind. Unbeknowest to his family at the time, he had a knack for reading. He is a natural Erudite along with Abnegation. For all his life, he had books secretly crammed in between every available place.

When Caleb was 16, he chose to transfer to Erudite. He spent no more than a month there before chaos broke out. He found his way to his sister in the Dauntless compound. After, he, Tris, and Tobias went to Amity headquarters. 

Caleb always looked out for Tris, being the older brother. He was protective of her, as any brother should be in his opinion. When he found out she was with Tobias a part of him was very cautious. He still watches Four like a hawk around his little sister. "You can never be too careful with boys." he says.

Relationships:

Tris Prior

Susan Black

[spiritusvitaerp]

“my peace has always been dependent, on all the ashes in my wake”

NAME: Augustus Rookwood AGE: 18 HOUSE: Slytherin

BIOGRAPHY

augustus grew up in a house that was often very quiet and rather melancholy. his father had been a very loud and involved supporter of Grindelwald and he’d faced the consequences, permanently disabled by an attack many years before he finally married and had children. augustus never felt much for his father, the man was old and frail and because of it everyone in the house suffered, his much younger wife and augustus’s mother, the caretakers and the boy himself. he lived in either absolute silence and isolation or with his father’s screaming echoing through the walls. resentment, and a certain poise filled augustus, he learned how to be patient and quiet, how to sneak about undetected and how to hold a wicked grudge.

while he had no real affection for his father he was angry with the stories the old man would tell. how people had been too blind to see the wisdom in grindelwald’s words, how they attacked his supporters. the evidence was right there in front of augustus after all and he grew to hate muggleborns without too much prompting. when voldemort began to rise augustus knew this was his chance at both redemption and revenge. he focused his whole life around joining but he didn’t want to be the same as every other prospective death eater. augustus has a real sense of superiority and grandeur about himself, that he is much too intelligent to be relegated to the corps, he was meant to be exalted and seen as the asset he knew he was.

augustus hated being stuck in hogwarts, he felt he was surrounded by those that were unworthy to be in his presence but rarely explained why he was so much better, it was simply an air he carried, an arrogance he almost had no right to but constantly displayed. he was not well liked by his own house and struggled to rise to a position of respect within pureblood society, which only served to increase his feelings of bitterness and neglect. when the news struck he saw his future crumble, he’d have no ambition, no outlet for his fury and intelligence. this final year was meant to be something it can no longer be and augustus’s self control is becoming a strain.

AESTHETIC

gothic windows, intricate glass bottles full of whiskey, skies full of dark clouds, self declared king, living up to legacies, the chill of gold on skin, cigarette butts, hiding brutality behind pretty words, slicked back hair, an air of arrogance, intelligent and still falling short, dependence on intimidation, the clink of ice cubes in a glass, three piece suits

TRAITS

+  placid +  rational

-  cold-hearted -  venomous

CONNECTIONS

1. walden macnair a personality like augustus requires support, a fan like presence to hold up a superior ego. when augustus met walden he knew he’d found his lackey, the boy was physically imposing, obedient and quick with a hex. it was easy to dominate walden, to even confide in him because despite august thinking walden was of lesser intelligence the other boy was loyal and had reason to be. walden is as close to a best friend as augustus could get and it is his own self isolation that has kept the boys from becoming real friends with real bonds.

2. andromeda black she is as intelligent as she is beautiful, a worthy prize for a worthy man. augusutus felt entitled to her presence and thoughts, he felt owed because she would just become a wife anyway, a trophy for the best man and he felt he was that best man. he encouraged his parents to forge a betrothal and during the process he treated her as if he already owned her, which earned him even more seething disgust from her, and his fellow housemates. his ideas were quite antiquated and when the Blacks rejected the Rookwoods offer he lost even more standing in pureblood society. now when he sees her he still feels he has a right to her that isb eing denied and treats her accordingly, consequences be damned, he will marry and own her one day soon.

3. evan rosier evan is everything augustus is not, and he knows it. the head boy has earned many titles, respect, accolades from his peers and the society they both grew up in but evan is the exalted one. the fact that the other boy is so well liked as well, able to form genuine friendships and relationships, BOTHERS augustus to no end. he focuses his ire on evan, does everything he can to piss him off or trip him up but evan is so composed, in public. augustus has been on the receiving end of evan’s hidden violence and while he would hate to be faced with the boys wand again he is now hyperfocused on outing evan as the monster he has seen.

this character is OPEN for applications and their board can be found HERE.

[spiritusvitaerp]

“i was as hollow and empty as the spaces between stars”

NAME: Caradoc Dearborn AGE: 18 HOUSE: Ravenclaw

BIOGRAPHY

caradoc was born into a very normal family that seemed destined for tragedy, there was no other way to explain all that befell them. growing up was great, they weren’t wealthy but they had what they needed and there was love to spare. when caradoc was born he was a joy to the whole dearborn family and his younger brother was a miracle. when caradoc’s mum was pregnant the second time she and the baby got very sick, his younger brother was born early and he struggled to hit milestones. caradoc was fiercely protective of his brother and spent all his time trying to help him catch up to his peers.

when doc’s magic began to manifest he kept it a secret from everyone, he thought he could control it. besides, his magic started to show up at the same time his mom got sick, how could he be selfish and put the spotlight on himself? she passed after a long battle and it broke all of the dearborn boys, who grew closer to one another and more isolated from others. due to his emotional turmoil doc’s magic only grew more volatile as well, especially as he continued to keep it bottled up. eventually, through his frustration and anger, it discharged and ended the life of his little brother, who had been standing too close and didn’t know any better of course.

his father pulled away from him, after caradoc explained what had happened, after he’d tried to make it make sense. his letter came and with it a wizard to tell them about caradoc’s magic and he felt sickened by it all. a whole school of people like him, people whose magic could do terrible things. and why hadn’t any wizards come sooner, to help them understand, to help caradoc so nothing bad happened. he hated the wizarding world, he despised being a wizard and he did as much as he could to sabotage himself. the guilt and grief piled up inside him. he supported the death eaters in his anger and apathy and with the war somehow over he has become more volatile and lost than ever.

AESTHETIC

broken glass, graffiti covered concrete walls, fruit snack addict, dirty sneakers, the boredom of apathy, grief stricken, charming young man, tragedy in the blood, skateboard tricks that lead to broken bones, closet full of jean jackets, dad jokes, king of puns, fish out of water, brain fog

TRAITS

+  comical +  unobtrusive

-  apathetic -  resentful

CONNECTIONS

1. benjy fenwick benjy and caradoc are friends simply because both are comfortable with a certain amount of apathy. both are calm and patient boys, they don’t feel the need to share their feelings or struggles with one another, life is simply simple as far as they are concerned and their connection, though strong and loyal, isn’t very deep. still they always seem to be together and if they ever chose to actually talk about something real they’d realize they have even more in common than they already do.

2. lucius malfoy he never sought them out, he really didn’t care about it too loudly but he thought the wizarding world was in desperate need of new policies and laws regarding muggleborns and that the death eaters were going to make sure that happened. caradoc just wanted muggles to be safe and muggleborns to be better taken care of BEFORE hogwarts. he thought if he gave information to lucius it would help, he trusted the slytherin and now he isn’t so sure he should have.

3. greta catchlove she’s a thorn in his side, and he’s a chill guy. for someone to bother him enough for him to talk about it is a feat. greta means well and he knows that but it doesn’t make it any better or easier to deal with her. she’s a ray of sunshine and he’s the rain, she encourages him but it just rubs him the wrong way. he tries to be a dick to her to get her to give up but she’s determined to make him smile or laugh, he hates it.

this character is OPEN for applications and their board can be found HERE.

[spiritusvitaerp]

“Not that I want to be a god or a hero. Just to change into a tree, grow for ages, not hurt anyone”

NAME: Dirk Cresswell AGE: 17 HOUSE: Hufflepuff

BIOGRAPHY

dirks life did not begin in a safe and nurturing environment, he was born to people who did not have the resources or capacity to parent but unfortunately took time to realize that. he was four when he was put into foster care and nine when he committed his first crime. it was easy to fall in with the wrong crowd but one officer took the time to talk to him while he waited for his foster dad to pick him up. the interest this man showed in dirk helped the boy understand he was still cared for and necessary and a year later he was fostered by this officer and his young wife. but life had strange plans for him and the officer was taken from him, his wife too heartbroken to continue caring for dirk, he went back into the system. 

the experience had both broken and hardened him but his heart was strong and brave, and he wanted to mirror himself after the kindness and courage shown to him however short lived it was. despite being bounced around many homes he retained his good nature and calm sensibility, his circumstances couldn’t define him. but when dirk received his letter he was terrified, how would he attend with no money, without telling all his clearly muggle foster parents about the wizarding world? the school took care of him, and he gratefully promised to do well in return. hogwarts also helped get dirk placed in a home for boys run by a squib and her husband and family, people who would understand and protect him.

so many people in his life have given him so much, his only goal is to be a good person and do good things, to feel he is living up to the charity and kindness shown to him. dirk is not the best student, but he tries so hard to do well enough. he may not be an academic but he tries to help others as much as he can, even if it means sort of embracing his possible seer abilities. when the war was becoming larger and louder he was certainly afraid, most of the people he knew and loved were muggles and he felt rather helpless. with the news he wonders how true it might be and how safe they all really are. his plans to become a healer have not changed, and more than ever this year he wants to be there for everyone, unable to believe this is the end of the war while desperately hoping it is true.

AESTHETIC

lost boy, aliens are real, lack of material possessions, as bright as the color yellow, the necessity of downtime, comfort with quiet, street smarts, the art of the hustle, seeing is believing, a kind heart, morning dew, the crunch of autumn leaves, warm blankets straight from the dryer, superhero band-aids, falling asleep in the sun

TRAITS

+  helpful +  cooperative

-  mistrustful -  docile

CONNECTIONS

1. amelia bones dirk believes he and amelia want the same things, but their approach is entirely different. she has a fire that can only be stoked and he admires that, but can’t match it. his laidback nature really prevents him from displaying that level of passion, he isn’t a loud or aggressive person and while he does what he can to help her when she begins new campaigns or protests he often feels he is falling short of her expectations.

2. amos diggory it’s easy to identify with amos, who while he wants to help seems to struggle with how. dirk tries to encourage amos and support his endeavors but there is an acceptance of laziness in the other boy that dirk does not possess. it is certainly a good example of the privilege many others experience that dirk has not. he isn’t the type to be offended but he does notice the differences between himself and others and he, for the most part, knows why.

3. regulus black dirk never thought he’d be friends with someone like regulus black, someone from such a privileged background and a pureblood to boot. the blacks have a reputation but dirk has realized it is little more than speculation or expectation and it has allowed a good relationship to form between him and regulus. as dirk is not great with a few of his classes he spends plenty of time being tutored by various people but regulus has quickly become the person he is most comfortable with.

this character is OPEN for applications and their board can be found HERE.

[spiritusvitaerp]

“sure the world breeds monsters, but kindness grows just as wild….”

NAME: Regulus Black AGE: 17 HOUSE: Ravenclaw

BIOGRAPHY

the second son of the infamous Blacks, regulus didn’t exactly fit the mold but neither did his older brother. in comparison to their cousins they were truly the black sheeps, all four of them. his parents were less concerned with appearances, they wanted their boys to be healthy and safe and though they tried to fall in line they weren’t about to do the same to their own kids. perhaps regulus had to really thank his shitty grandparents for fucking up his parents so badly that they didn’t do the same to him and sirius. in the end the four of them got on really well, like a normal functional family and for some reason that was wrong. regulus grew up surrounded by the judgement of his extended family and some peers and it drove him quite mad. he wasn’t a coward but he despised confrontation all the same and usually resorted to clever jokes and jibes that went over people’s heads.

regulus had a freedom few his age, and in the pureblood elite circle, had and he planned to take full advantage but he wasn’t a rebel in the same way his brother was or his family was even. sure sure, the dark lord was ridiculous and his views were gross, and sure riding a motorcycle and smoking was fun and cool but regulus loved books and boys and all the things not expected of him. his parents, and again he understood how lucky he was here, never faulted him for anything he loved and encouraged some of his hobbies and ideas. their desire to keep him safe however, and their beliefs, gave him a nervous energy, an anxiety and sense of dread he could have done without.

once at school regulus really  tried not to be “sirius’s little brother” and it helped that he was sorted into ravenclaw, it let him disappear a little bit and that suited him just fine. he took to classes with ease and a desire to learn not displayed by the other blacks and he liked how he had gone about setting himself apart. but the downside was that he had no idea what he wanted to do with his life post hogwarts, while everyone around him seemed to have it figured out. with voldemort dead and buried he supposed his options were truly and magnificently open but that meant his focus was too broad to concentrate on any one thing. besides, that dread instilled in him as a child hasn’t lifted and he isn’t so sure his choices, and his life, are as free as he’s been told.

AESTHETIC

doodles in the margins of every notebook, trying not to curse and failing, a little bit dramatic, books are friends, walls covered in posters and photos, it’s cool to be kind, awkward anxiety ridden charm, handstands, sensitive boy, poetry book collection, trying to look cool, showing affection, do it for the aesthetic

TRAITS

+  allocentric +  creative

-  insecure -  argumentative

CONNECTIONS

1. sirius black regulus also got lucky in the brother lottery, he and sirius were close because a mutual hatred of the rest of their family really bonded them but also because sirius seemed determined to be a good big brother. and he was, regulus learned a lot but he wasn’t his brother and when sirius realized that it caused a tiny crack in their relationship. regulus loves his brother but sirius should know bettr than anyone that becoming a carbon copy of someone else is bad news. still, reg breaks out of his comfort zone to make his brother happy, even if it seems sirius doesn’t often reciprocate the gesture or effort.

2. fabian prewett fabian was one of the first people to accept reg as just reg, not as sirius’s brother or another black. in fact fabian seemed quite oblivious to those sorts of things and accepted people on who they were as people. it fascinated regulus, who had seen very little of that and experienced even less of it. despite fab being older it was regulus who filled the more mature role, the one who sat them down to study or work while fabian tried to procrastinate. regulus feels a certain sense of responsibility for fabian and truly worries how the boy will function once he leaves hogwarts.

3. amelia bones she seems to be everything regulus is not, outspoken and concerned with social and political issues. she has none of the privileges and connections regulus has and yet she has done more than most anyone else to help them all. regulus admires her and he appreciates her attempts to make him more able to advocate for himself. she is definitely the mom friend to his dad friend. but regulus has relied too heavily on her, he uses her as a crutch and seems to always be by her side. this has only just begun to grate on amelia and it is going completely over regulus’s head.

this character is OPEN for applications and their board can be found HERE.

[spiritusvitaerp]

“i think i still have rain somewhere in my heart”

NAME: Amos Diggory AGE: 18 HOUSE: hufflepuff YEAR: 7th

BIOGRAPHY

amos was always a golden boy, his only child syndrome meant he was spoiled absolutely rotten and he lived for it. he showed off every chance he got, toys, accomplishments, trophies. he loved talking about how he won and what it felt like because that feeling consumed him body and soul and he needed to share it with others, not because he was an arrogant prick. but as a child he had very little finesse socially and eventually he lost enough friends that he learned how to share his truth without driving people away. by the time he reached hogwarts, his mum an alumnus, he was ready to be that bright golden child everyone loved and admired and wanted to be friends with.

school wasn’t always easy, hogwarts subjects though familiar were not always interesting to him and he’d spend entire classes daydreaming stories or expanding on some awesome dream he’d had. he’d fall behind, do four weeks of work in two days and scrape by with an acceptable, only to do it all again. but life grabbed amos diggory and didn’t let go, he needed to experience everything and sitting still made him feel sick, except for the days he couldn’t get out of bed at all. amos didn’t know why he had those days but he knew they always passed and he’d be back to his normal perky self. the war however invaded his home and his bones, something not even the biggest adrenaline rush could silence.

the war, fighting it, in it consumed him. it was all he could talk about, how he should be doing more and he’d already entered an auror training program. the program was difficult to get into but he made it his focus and at seventeen he had been one of the youngest. amos didn’t plan on returning to school for his final year, he’d enter the auror department as a cadet and begin his real training, he buzzed with that promise for a year and all summer. and then just three weeks before he was set to enter the ministry the war ended unexpectedly and entirely. two days after the supposed death of voldemort the program was dismantled and his entrance a year early was cancelled. they told him to finish his last year and then enter the auror program like normal. but amos feels adrift now, he’d spent so much time focused on fighting a war, becoming a hero and now it was all gone.

AESTHETIC

flower crowns of goldenrod, books with dog eared pages, the urge to climb a tree, favorite sweaters, shelves full of trophies, golden sunsets and sunrises, riding a bike around town, brown bags full of hard candies, candles burned down to the bottom of the jar, small plants in bright pots, drive without direction, laying on the rug listening to music, pushing a car to its top speed, the longing to be a hero.

TRAITS

+  winsome +  warm

-  leisurely -  temperamental

CONNECTIONS

1. lucinda talkalot she was the love of his life, he knew it from their first date. people often misjudged her but he’d seen the light shining from her heart and he reached out for it. they were the same, made from the same fire and light. but she could never let go completely, always holding back, always keeping one lock on her heart. he knew they could make it, that this was real but she ended it and he respected them both enough to accept it. but the truth was he was heartbroken and he hasn’t even been on a date since, he let the auror program take over his life because without lucinda there was really no point to any sort of self-preservation. now he’s lost the program too and he feels undeserving of love, and desperate to hold her again despite that.

2. edgar bones in another life amos was sure he and edgar were brothers, they both knew it had to be true. from their first week at school they had been attached at the hip and amos made almost no decision without consulting edgar. people often got them confused, called them by the others name and it didn’t bother amos because he knew he was his own person. but his moodiness had started to drive even edgar to a distance and amos doesn’t know how to fix that, only that he wants to — he needs to.

3.  carina malfoy their circumstances couldn’t be more different and despite carina having such a good pedigree her family was in shambles. the diggory’s donated anonymously to help carina and her brother after news of their parents disappearance broke. but then the prophet reported the malfoys were suspected death eaters and his parents withdrew their support. amos couldn’t believe it, or abide by that. carina and lucius were good people, they needed help, they were just kids. he has been enchanting pouches of coins to be delivered anonymously to carina and he hopes it is providing even a shred of hope and help.

this character is OPEN for applications and their board can be found HERE.

[spiritusvitaerp]

“i read the rules before i break them”

NAME: Remus Lupin  AGE: 17 HOUSE: Gryffindor

BIOGRAPHY

remus lupin didn’t have time to bask in self-loathing. the boy had spent enough time throughout his childhood giving his father looks of pure disdain. his condition as his mother put it – he only had one person to blame, his father and his pride. it wasn’t his own actions that had gotten him bitten, it was his father’s hatred and spite and as much as the boy thought he was forgiving, this seemed to be one bridge he struggled to get over. he wasn’t the victim – he wasn’t going to be written off as one, yes he didn’t want this and there was the occasional meltdown that seemed to boil over whenever his foggy future was brought up, but remus wanted to bask in the light for as long as he could.

throughout his childhood, he was so easily convinced that isolation was all that was in store for him – he had a monster in him, something that wasn’t easy to love. james and sirius had shaped his way of life – he didn’t want to be alone, he knew that in his heart and the boys tied themselves in a way that the boy could only dream of. he had friends, ones who wanted nothing but the best for him and despite how hazy his future might be, he was thriving in that environment. he was surrounded by students who weren’t all that picture perfect, everyone had inner demons – what he didn’t expect was the attention. he was likeable – it was odd to even fathom it, but it was the only explanation for the attention he received and the badge that he had earned during his fifth year.

the boy was often written off as the quiet marauder – the voice of pure reason and the sly boy was happy to be put in that label, attention off of him as the mastermind of their most devious affairs. he was the brains – if they were going to wreak havoc, they were going to do it right. he was charming and he knew it, he definitely received attention for it and as much as the boy didn’t mind the occasional flirting game – getting too close had always made him a tad uncomfortable. the idea of letting someone in, as much as he brushed it off – it was terrifying. he didn’t have the war to blame anymore – his mind was not ready to focus on what he needed to do to graduate with the best skill set to be a valuable asset, remus could just be a teenager. a werewolf teenager who had just had a taste of normalcy – he didn’t know what to do with it.

AESTHETIC

sarcastic wit, brown curls, pressed worn out jumpers, brown leather boots, troublemaker with a badge, book of transfiguration always on hand, chocolate bar ready for stressful moments, taste of tea and mint leaves, calloused hands.

TRAITS

+ loyal

+ intelligent

- cocky

- stubborn

CONNECTIONS

1. james potter & sirius black definition of ride or dies, in a moment of distress, you could often find remus clinging to them. co-dependancy was the best way to describe it. they were a team. 2. gideon prewett yes, he had the boys but remus was the social butterfly that no one expected, he didn’t necessarily crave the attention, but he wasn’t going to turn down a friendship. gideon prewett snuck up on him – the daredevil was honest and it was hard not to like the boy. 3. marlene mckinnon the girl was magnetic. that was the only way remus could even begin to describe her, any chance he got – he seemed to linger close to the slytherin girl. she was funny and merlin, she was something – she made him want to be honest with the world and that was a scary feeling indeed.

this character is OPEN for applications and their board can be found HERE.

[spiritusvitaerp]

“he looks like sin, but some nights when only the moon is out for light, he feels more like a greek tragedy”

NAME: Ted Tonks AGE: 18 HOUSE: Hufflepuff

BIOGRAPHY

ted’s family had his life planned out for him before he was even born. the two were not spontaneous in any way and every milestone and achievement was planned down to the day, every day to the minute. ted lived a very regimented life growing up, he has scheduled to death with activities and sports, his grades had to be perfect, he had to be perfect. and for a few years that was fine, ted liked being at the top and beating other people, he liked winning and feeling superior, but he wasn’t sure he liked not ever getting an opinion or a say in his own life. every time ted deviated from his schedule his parents would freak out and it began to feel more like a prison than a home. ted was looking at several more years of this, when his hogwarts letter arrived.

suddenly his parents perfectly planned life was in ruins and they blamed him, as if it was something he could control. ted was afraid to enter a whole new world but he was more afraid of living a life that wasn’t his so despite his parents forbidding him ever attending he chose to go and his very first rebellion paid off because after one year at hogwarts he knew he’d never let them stop him from going. ted was able to make his own schedule there, he began to make decisions for and by himself and it was easy to feel safe in that, and even in unplanned moments. but his ego was still a barrier for him and future success. when he failed he did not handle it gracefully, even if other aspects of his personality were very attractive.

success made ted toxic so he began to willingly fail, to not come in first, to let others have the spotlight because he realized he didn’t need it as much as his parents made him think he did. every year he spent at hogwarts was one where he unlearned the lessons from home, where he grew into a better person. ted learned to love seeing others succeed and even more if he was able to somehow help. he has become a more supportive and loving person but he isn’t perfect and he is still learning to accept that. he was half hopeful that a war would allow him to be a hero, the kind of person people thought he already was, and of course the chance to protect people. without it he can’t be that hero, there is no need and his friends have noticed how badly it is affecting him. he might not need to be perfect but he needs to be needed, so now what?

AESTHETIC

autumn leaves in frames on the wall, small spaces full of sunlight,  empty art museums, the smell of leather and mint, travel books, edgy accessories, pumpkin patches, squinting in the sun, a charming man, a wink and a kiss, eyes like honey, apple pie, quilted blankets, bonfires on the beach, stolen moments.

TRAITS

+  captivating +  gallant -  blunt -  irritable

CONNECTIONS

1. andromeda black there is very little to like about andromeda, but the same could be said about him. they met over the summer and spent a few weeks wrapped around one another, it was just a vacation fling. now they’re both back at school he sees her struggling with everything and part of him wants to help but he also now knows who she is, since they lied to one another on vacation, and he hates that he let someone like that into his head, and his bed. but the girl at hogwarts isn’t the one he knows and his confusion has made him very irritable around her, if he isn’t avoiding her entirely. how could he be around someone who had practically worshipped voldemort , when he was what he was; a muggleborn, filth, mudblood.

2. amos diggory amos is everything ted wanted to be but it comes so easy to the other boy. they’re friends, best friends but they aren’t without their own fights and spats. ted just doesn’t understand why amos gets so moody and down, and despite trying to for a couple of years he just — he just doesn’t get it and he has trouble being kind even though he wants to be. now it seems their friendship is hanging by a thread, and ted doesn’t know how to fix it, he doesn’t have the time.

3. amycus carrow ted doesn’t remember how he and amycus became — friendly, but ted took full advantage of the connection and the information he got. he wasn’t trying to use his friend but why wouldn’t he strategically apply the information he got or the names he heard? it would just be foolish not to, and while he did care about the friendship he didn’t value it higher than others. in fact, ted didn’t think much of amycus, he didn’t think much of most people and especially slytherins. it wasn’t personal, it never was for ted but he truly felt bad for how he had treated amycus and hopes he can make amends with him, and apparently a few others, this year.

this character is OPEN for applications and their board can be found HERE.