'American Horror Story: Coven' begins by portraying men as accessories for newcomer Madame Delphine LaLaurie's (Kathy Bates) terrifying deeds. During the 1800s, she has committed acts of torture on black slaves in Louisiana. She introduces three suitors to her three daughters but one daughter is already eyeing one particular servant. However, when the sadistic madame finds out about their implicit affair, the poor slave is sent to the torture chamber. The chamber is then revealed to be an attic filled with maimed, strangled, and feces-fed slaves. 

Fast forward to the present time, Zoe (Tasia Farmiga) is sent away by her mother to Miss Robicheaux's Academy, a school that's far from exceptional as it shelters girls who has witchcraft in their blood, In the academy, Zoe gets a prank attack from three masked girls who pinned her to a table and scared her with a knife. The three girls are Madison (Emma Roberts), Queenie (Gabourey Sidibe), and Nan (Jamie Brewer). There is a brewing tension between Queenie and Madison while Nan assumes the role of a mediator. The large school with an air of old-age elegance has Cordelia (Sarah Paulson) as its headmistress.

It turns out that witches have several types of magic such as Madison's telekinesis, Nan's clairvoyance, and Queenie's voodoo. However, witches are threatened to be exctinct especially for familes who decided to forgo their children fearing that they will be burdened by their abilities. The case of Misty (Lily Rabe) is used wherein she was burned at the stake after reviving a dead bird.

The story continue with Fiona's (Jessica Lange) yearning to look eternally young. She has been financing a scientist's medical research in order to supress aging. She volunteers as a guinea pig but the drug still does not work. When the devoted doctor decides to resign, Fiona seemingly seduces him only to suck the life out of him and leave him as an old and withered corpse.

Fiona returns to the school where her strained relationship with Delia (Brooke Smith) continues. While Delia's way of teaching is more passive, Fiona prefers to be stern. Madison and Zoe then became bestfriends and attends a party hosted by fraternity boys. Madison was nearly raped but was saved by Kyle (Evan Peters) and Zoe. As a revenge, Madison flipped and smashed the bus containing the frat boys.

Fiona reprimanded Madison and took the girls on a field trip to the French Quarter where Nan found herself fascinated with Madame LaLaurie's house. The tour guide tells the story of how Madame LaLaurie uses human pancreas mixture as facial mask to maintain her young looks. The madame was reportedly poisoned by a voodoo witch after turning her beau into a minotaur. Her body was never found not until Fiona surprisingly exhumes her coffin from her courtyard. Despite being chained and gagged, Madame LaLaurie is well-preserved. Will Fiona be successful in snatching the fountain of youth from her?