Singer Salvage Yard became Dean and Sam's home base after enlisting Ash's help to hunt down the yellow eyed demon. Dean insisted on driving straight back to Bobby's after they wrapped up each case, regardless of the distance. Originally, Sam believed Dean when he insisted that, "Bobby's just too trusting," despite knowing that the older hunter was a paranoid bastard.

His first doubts manifested after Dean insisted, Sam begindriving less than fifteen minutes after leaving the salvage yard for a case. Sam waited patiently in the driver's seat as Dean rummaged around in the trunk before appearing in the passenger seat holding a fork and a pie.

"Where did you get a pie?"

"Bobby's witch made it for him," Dean answered, shoving a full bite into his mouth.

"You couldn't wait until we hit a diner?"

"No."

"Are you insane?"

"Listen, say what you will about her, but that witch can make a mean pie!"

Sam's second clue occurred when they returned from the case to find Bobby home alone.

"She's not a hunter!" Dean bellowed.

"She ain't a civilian either Dean."

"That's not the same and you know it! You sent Mia out after a flesh-eating monster with nothing, but Rufus for back up," Dean said.

"Rufus ain't no spring chicken, but he's far from useless," Bobby retorted. "Besides, Mia's far better dealing with that crotchety drunk than I am."

"Where did you send them?"

"You can't be serious Dean," Sam interrupted. "She'll kill you for rushing in after her."

"I'm not leaving Mia to fight a Wendigo by herself."

"Rufus is with her!" Bobby retorted. "Listen, they're supposed to check in with me in about two hours. If we don't hear from them, I'll give you their location."

Watching his brother storm out of the house, Sam asked, "Think he realizes?"

"Not a chance in hell."

**** 2 Weeks Later ****

"Come on Sam," Dean whined as he navigated Baby down the one lane road. "I'm begging you. This is stupid!"

'Why?" Sam asked, his frustration leaking into his voice.

"Going to visit Mom's grave? Really? She doesn't even have a grave!"

"She's got a headstone," Sam answered, inhaling like Mia taught him.

"Put up by her uncle. An uncle we've never met. You really want to go talk to an empty grave put there by a complete stranger?"

Sam exhaled, "It's not…Dean that's not the point. It isn't about a body or a casket. It's about honoring her memory."

"You've never cared before."

"Yeah, well after Dad, it seems right, and Hermione agreed that it would help," Sam admitted unsurprised when his brother scoffed.

"So…what you're taking advice from Bobby's witch now? Its bad enough that you spend so much time with her?"

"Are you jealous?" Sam asked.

"Don't be stupid," Dean said glaring at the road. "Jealous? Why would I be jealous? She's just not trustworthy Sam. You and Bobby are just too blind to see it."

Both brothers drove for a mile in silence.

"Hey, what if we swing by the Roadhouse instead?" Dean asked. "We haven't heard from Ash in a while."

"That's not a bad idea," Sam admitted, recognizing a good compromise. "Drop me off at the cemetery and then I'll meet you there."

"Right…that's what I want. Making small talk with those people while I wait on you to show up. I'd rather deal with Bobby's witch. No thanks!"

Approaching his mom's grave, Sam's shoulders fell with each step he took. By the time he reached the headstone, his body felt heavily weighed down. Dean didn't attempt to join him, which was unsurprising. John never bothered trying to locate the cemetery, much less visit. Revenge was all he'd known.

"I think Dad would've wanted you to have these," Sam said, burying his father's dog tag next to her headstone. "I love you. Dean does too. Hermione says he's just rubbish at showing it. You'd love her. I think she's good for him…not that Dean has any clue."

Rejoining his brother, Sam realized Dean was standing next to a grave marked, Loving Father. Nearby a tree stood, dead. Next to it, a perfect circle of decay surrounded the grave marker.

"Angela Mason," Dean supplied. "Local college student who was buried three days ago. The grounds keeper doesn't have an explanation for the decay."

"What are you thinking?"

"Unholy Ground," Dean asked. "Honestly it's beyond me."

"Unholy…" Sam repeated, before his surprise cut him off.

"Evil can poison environments, right?" Dean asked. "Remember the farm outside Cedar Rapids? This could be the sign of a demonic presence or Angela's spirit?"

Sam nodded, pulling his phone out and dialing Hermione's phone number, "Dean's got a potential case. Any chance you can rule out necromancy?"

"Who is that?" Dean demanded as Sam waved him off.

"Yeah give me a second. There did you get the photo? No…we left our guns in the car. Should we be armed?"

A loud crack permeated the still air of the cemetery, causing both men to jump, and slip into defensive positions.

"That's why," Hermione answered grinning at them. "I don't enjoy being shot."

"You called her?" Dean demanded. "Seriously?!"

"Neither of us are familiar with necromancy," Sam said before pointing at Hermione, "She, however, is, which means we could eliminate an entire field of research. Come on Mia, this way."

Sam directed Hermione to the grave in question, while ignoring Dean's grumbles. He watched, fascinated as Hermione pulled her wand out and began casting spells around the area. He never could look away from the way she broke scientific laws without batting an eye. Only when she suddenly swore did Sam snap out of his trance.

"Find something?" Dean asked, his voice possessing an edge to it.

"Not here," Hermione answered. "Can we get a motel room?" Both brothers exchanged a glance, neither hesitating to follow the witch back towards the Impala. Bobby and John and raised them too well for either to ignore their instincts. The drive to the nearest motel was silent, save for Hermione insisting they share a single room that had no adjoined one.

Once inside said motel room, Hermione flicked her wand in complicated patterns while muttering under her breath and turning in circles.

When she finally stopped, Dean asked, "What'd you do?"

"Wards," Hermione answered. "Privacy, protections, subverting our presence, along with a series of wards preventing break-ins, and repelling necrotic magic from entering."

"What happened in that graveyard that's got you so spooked?" Dean asked.

"No one is in that grave," Hermione answered, biting her lip.

"Could it just be an empty casket?" Sam asked. "Our mom's is just a headstone."

"Girl died in a car crash," Dean answered. "There's no reason to not bury her body."

"Necromancy isn't inherently evil,' Hermione blurted out.

"Great. That's exactly what you want to hear…not 'inherently evil," Dean muttered under his breath. "What does that mean exactly?"

"The School of Necromancy explores the cosmic forces of life, death, and undeath. It's essentially manipulating the energy that animates all life."

"I feel like you just pulled out a book on Dungeons and Dragons," Dean said.

"Well…they had a muggleborn on the staff," Hermione admitted. "They were bound to get something right. Regardless, much of my people's healing magic is necrotic, though few realize it."

"Based on your reaction, it's not what we're dealing with," Sam concluded.

"No… It's death magic," Hermione answered unprepared for the anger that suddenly coursed through Sam.

"You said magic can't bring back the Dead!"

"You asked her about it?" Dean demanded. "Why the hell were you asking about Death Magic?!"

"Why do you think Dean?! Dad just died. Wouldn't you do anything to get him back?"

"What about the price? Exactly what would you be willing to pay?" Dean demanded.

"Well it's irrelevant! She lied to me, so I don't know what it would cost."

"Good! At least someone in this family is stupid enough to martyr themselves or let one of us do it!" Dean bellowed back at his brother.

"Hem hem," Hermione interrupted.

"Why did you lie to me?" Sam demanded, refocusing on Hermione.

"I didn't."

"You just said!"

"Samuel Winchester! Do you want an answer? Then stop bloody interrupting me!" Hermione ignored Dean's sudden smirk.

"Magic cannot restore life after death. Were I to 'bring John' back from the grave it wouldn't be him. It would be a shade…a pale shadow or reflection of what he once was, and it would drive you mad."

"You speak from experience?" Dean asked.

"I've seen the magic first hand," Hermione admitted. "I've helped destroy it too."

"So, the cemetery…"

"That grave is saturated in black arts, the source of the parlor tricks Borrowers claim to be magic. They ooze it when they cast or perform rituals. Best guess is that we're looking at an Inferi."

"A what?"

"A magically animated corpse."

"So, a zombie?" Sam asked.

"Yes, minus the craving of flesh. Usually the castor gives them specific instructions, though I don't know if that's the case here," Hermione admitted before brightening. "Bobby should have books about it!"

Before either Winchester could respond, Hermione disapparated from the hotel room.

"We?" Dean asked Sam. "She better not mean what I think she means."

The witch reappeared before Sam could respond and shoved a Tupperware container into Dean's hands before moving to the nearby table.

"Mia?" Sam asked, watching as she pulled several old booksfrom her bag, which Dean referred to as the Poppins Purse.

"I raided Bobby's library and fridge before leaving him a quick note," Hermione said.

"You're not staying," Dean said glaring at her. "Thanks for the head start, but Sam and I can handle the rest of the case."

"I'm better at research than Sam, especially in this field of study," Hermione said. "Besides, you'll get more information if you have Sam helping you out."

"Fine. Research from Bobby's," Dean suggested.

"The room's warded," Sam reminded his brother. "I highly doubt she'd leave a loophole for anything to get in."

Sam didn't bother smothering the smirk that bloomed on his face at the glare his brother gave him.

"Exactly, even your pie is safe," Hermione said nodding towards the container she'd shoved at Dean.