It is 1996 and Nancy Downs is 16. Until recently she lived with her alcoholic and negligent mother, Grace Downs-Saunders, and her irresponsible, bad-tempered stepfather, Ray Saunders, in a single-wide trailer in Northridge.

At some point, Nancy began practicing witchcraft, hoping to empower herself and escape her disadvantaged life. Nancy befriended two fellow outcasts, Bonnie Harper and Rochelle Zimmerman, and together they aspired to become witches. However, none of their spells worked, due to them lacking a fourth witch to make a complete circle.

After witnessing a new student, Sarah Bailey, using magic in class, Nancy, Bonnie, and Rochelle, befriended Sarah and they formed a coven. During their initiation, Nancy wished for "all the power of Manon". She was frustrated and disappointed when her spells to gain more power and not be "white trash" failed to work, whilst the other girls' spells succeeded. This changed however, when she returned home from school and witnessed her stepfather try to hit her mother. Nancy snapped and lashed out with her power and caused Ray to suffer a fatal heart attack. Ray's sizable life insurance policy had been bequeathed to Grace and Nancy, allowing them to move into a nice apartment at Harbor Beach Tower in Malibu, and live comfortably.

Nancy still desired more power, becoming so consumed by this notion she planned to invoke Manon. Lirio Salvador, the woman who owned the occult shop which the four girls frequented, tried to warn her against this, saying that it was too dangerous for an inexperienced witch, but Nancy dismissed this and went ahead with the invocation rite along with her coven on a deserted beach. During the ritual, Nancy successfully invoked Manon; she was struck by lightning and developed even greater power, being able to walk on water. However, afterwards, Nancy seemed less mentally stable. Nancy gradually became even more amoral and controlling of the coven, engaged in increasingly risky and dangerous behavior and dismissed Sarah's concerns.